The vice president’s role in American politics is often overlooked. For a lot of people, the position of vice president is no more than a substitute for the presidents. This could not be further from the truth. Vice presidents play a vital part in supporting the president and the important role that they hold. Their influence and contributions are essential and they should be recognized for the work they do.
Vice presidents bear major responsibilities, they have various tasks such as being the president’s key advisors and being ready to step into the president’s position at any point in time. Another major part of the vice president’s role is shaping the public’s view during elections, helping influence the voters’ perception of the candidates.
According to an article in ABC News, vice presidents roles have little to no significance to American politics. Various vice presidents have been constantly sidelined and viewed as representatives at official events.
Nathaniel Rakich and Amina Brown, authors from said article, argue that the vice presidents don’t change the public’s views and are often overshadowed by their counterparts. This is apparent in the fact that presidential debates are historically one of the few things that can actually make a dent in the polls during elections, however, vice presidential debates don’t have the same track record. This emphasizes the common perception that vice presidential candidates often may lack any impact on the outcome of the election.
Despite the fact that the polls might not change the polls drastically, the vice presidency holds a major significance and should not be underestimated. Over the course of American history, eight presidents have passed away during their terms and one resigned, leaving the vice president immediately in charge of the role as president. While only a small number of points may be a result from these debates, in such a tight race, these numbers could be the deciding factors of the whole election.
Some recent vice presidents including Kamala Harris have taken on more major roles and changed the overall outcome of the election. Over Harris’s time as vice president she has surpassed the record of tie-breaking votes for a presidential candidate. A tie-breaking vote is where votes have been evenly split, causing the President to determine the final conclusion. Harris broke the record that has stood for over 200 years becoming the 32nd tie-breaking vote.
Vice President’s often do have their own political agenda that they are trying to enforce throughout their term. Sometimes this does not coincide with the views of the president which can cause conflict. These can cause conflicts in the White House which do not benefit the American people, and picking a good Vice Presidential candidate can reduce that conflict. A good Vice President can ultimately be the deciding factor of whether or not a President is successful in the eyes of the American people.
The role of vice president is a vital and important part of our political system. They are second in command and should be treated with the same respect as the president because they could in fact end up in that position one day. The assassination of JFK led to Lyndon B. Johnson stepping into the presidency within hours of the president’s death. If America did not have the vice president, there would be no backup for these tragic situations.
To address the lack of recognition surrounding the role of vice presidents, the government should make the American society more aware of the role that vice presidents partake in high profiled political events. They could highlight vice presidents influence and contributions by showcasing their involvement in situations such as race relations, border control, and even unemployment rates.This would help the American people to see and understand the stance that vice presidents are taking on crucial topics and help them to make an educated and informed decision about who they would like to elect.
Overall, vice presidents play a vital role in advising the presidents and being a support for them. By recognizing the part that vice presidents play, the position can be strengthened and the role of Vice President can become truly respected. It is important to advocate for the acknowledgement of vice presidents and the key role they play in politics.
