We often think that the presidency is the most influential executive position in the United States; however, the vice presidency an essential component of the U.S. system, because it acts as a kind of insurance policy in troubling moments. The main role of the vice presidency is to replace the President if he or she becomes unable to serve. The Vice President must to have all the qualities and qualifications required to be appointed as President at any time during the term.
Thus, the main role of the Vice President is to be ready to take the oath in case of the President can no longer serve. Still, some Vice Presidents have played significant roles in the administration and we can expect that Mike Pence plays a curial role in the Trump administration.
To begin, the Vice President must be ready to take the presidential oath at any time. He or she must have all the skills and knowledge required to be Commander-in-Chief. Vice President John Adams once said: ¨I am nothing, but I may be everything.¨ Thus, the vice presidency is essential because it ensures a quick transition of power in case that the presidency becomes vacant. As a result, the main responsibility of this position is simply to wait in case the Commander-in-Chief can no longer serve. Nine Vice Presidents became President throughout the U.S. history. Moreover, the vice presidential nominee is often chosen to balance to the presidential ticket. For instance, Barrack Obama chose Joe Biden to bring a wealth of political experience to the Democratic ticket. Besides, a running mate can provide geographic balance; it can be associated to a specific faction of the party, provide ideological balance, etc. Mike Pence had been chosen to bring more experience to the ticket because Donald Trump has no political experience.
As a result, Pence balances the Republican ticket by bringing a lot of political experience to the Trump administration. Mike Pence has served 12 years in the House of Representatives and got elected as Indiana Governor in 2012. Pence favoured conservative social issues and he was a strong advocate of small government. In sum, Mike Pence is a convinced conservative politician; he strongly favours very limited government interventions. Therefore, Mike Pence will help Trump to understand the political system. Besides, Pence will push reforms through Congress by using his political influence. Mike Pence will help Trump to get the support of the Republican caucus in the Congress. Consequently, Pence will build bridges between Trump, the Republicans, and the Democrats. Mike Pence is a traditional conservative who thinks that the government is not the answer to solve all the problems.
Finally, the vice president usually has no power and very little influence. Nevertheless, Mike Pence might play a vital role in the Trump administration. This veteran politician knows how the system works and he might help to negotiate bills with Congress members. Mike Pence favours free trade and he might advise Trump about what are the concerns of Republicans regarding trade deals. He is an influential advisor for Trump and we can expect the new administration will reflect his personal values. For instance, Mike Pence is in charge of building the Trump`s team which might reflect to some extent his personal conservative views.
Dec. 2, 2016