THE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT
The president’s role as chief legislator is an important one that has shaped the US law on many occasions. When the Affordable Healthcare Act was in the process of getting passed president Obama showed his role as Chief Legislator boldly.
As the Chief Legislator the president has the power to influence congress in the law making decision, he can set agenda, change bills with the threat of the veto, and pass laws. In the case of the Affordable Healthcare Act, President Obama worked with Congresswoman Pelosi and Congressman Reid to bring this bill into fruition. Also the president annually gives a speech in January or February called the State of the Union. In the State of the Union the president usually gives a recap of the events of the past year and then gives an agenda for congress to follow on new bills and laws. President Obama use many of these assets and powers to pass, what he thought could make or break him, the Affordable Healthcare act.
President Obama was determined for this bill to pass so he used all of his given powers to do so. The democratic party in congress were skeptical about the the Affordable Healthcare act, however President Obama spoke to those people in congress privately, an example of this being Barney Frank from Massachusetts who was convinced by, as he described it, President Obama’s passionate argument. The use of the President's role as Chief Legislator was made apparent as it is one of President Obama’s power to persuade. President Obama also demonstrated his role when he announced that he wanted democrats, republicans and health care experts to settle any disputes with the bill in question in a meeting. Also President Obama influenced congress by reading the letter of Ms. Canfield, who could not afford her health insurance after being treated for 16 years, this shifted public opinion and made the bill more personal to the public, in effect influencing congress. Afterwards it became a push for...