Question

Explain the nature of Presidential control over the Cabinet in the USA.

Answer 1

1. Presidential appointment and removal power: The President appoints the members of the Cabinet, known as Secretaries, and they hold office at his pleasure. He can remove them at any time, without needing to provide a reason and without requiring approval from the Senate for removal.
2. Subordinate and Advisory role of the cabinet: The US Cabinet is not a decision-making body as in parliamentary systems. Instead, it functions as an advisory body to the President. It helps in implementing his decisions but does not share decision-making power. Cabinet meetings are conducted according to the President’s wishes, and discussions are not recorded formally.
3. No collective responsibility: Cabinet members are individually responsible to the President, not collectively to a legislature, like in a parliamentary system. There is no concept of collective responsibility before Congress.
4. Limited role defined by the president: The Cabinet acts only on the matters brought before it by the President. He may ignore it entirely without violating any law. Cabinet members often learn of decisions from public media if not directly consulted.
5. Recent trends: Though the Cabinet has a limited formal role, modern Presidents often appoint capable individuals and consider their opinions seriously, referring to the Cabinet as their “Brain Trust.”

In conclusion, the US President has centralised authority over the Cabinet, which serves more as an instrument to implement presidential policies than a body for collective deliberation.