This week, the Think the Vote contest is taking on a different form. Monday, February 21^st is President’s Day, a holiday that commemorates the birthday of our country’s first executive—George Washington—and honor’s the service of every individual who has occupied the office of president. In honor of this day, we are asking students to answer the question: What is the President’s Role in Our Constitutional System?

The role of the executive has shifted over the centuries since the Founding of our nation. These changes have not come without debate, as controversies have arisen over whether or not the president’s current role is aligned with its original purpose. Some examples of shifts are the president’s increased unilateralism in foreign conflict and an increase in the size and strength of the executive bureaucracy. Some think that these changes are necessary for the operation of government in the modern nation. Others believe these changes are unnecessary and reveal an unhealthy growth in the executive office. Please note that since this is not a Yes/No question, you may select either option in order to write your response. Additionally, we encourage you to up/down vote and agree/counter others’ posts.

Note: Ideal Think the Vote responses include the following:

-Address the question asked in a thoughtful and meaningful manner

-Use cited facts and constitutional arguments when appropriate to support their answers

-Are expressed in cohesive sentences and are free of distracting spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors

-They organize their answer in a manner that flows logically and reads clearly