Question

Discuss the Functions of the American Cabinet.

Answer 1

• Director of Administration: The President of the United States acts as the Director of Administration. He formulates the policies of the administration and ensures their execution by his secretaries, who head government departments and work under his supreme authority, direction, guidance, and control.
• Subordinate role of the cabinet: The American Cabinet works as an agency subordinate to the President. It always acts to faithfully execute the president's policies and thereby runs the administration. The cabinet has no collective responsibility and functions under the absolute control of the president.
• No collective responsibility: Unlike the cabinet in parliamentary systems (such as India or the UK), the American cabinet is not collectively responsible to the legislature. It is individually accountable to the president. The president has the authority to appoint or remove cabinet members at will.
• Subordinate status: The American Cabinet is subordinate to the president. It does not meet regularly for policy formulation, and its members serve at the pleasure of the president. The president can accept or ignore their advice and is not bound by it.