What Should the President Do?

We all knew that President Obama's job was not going to be easy once he won the election, and it only takes five minutes of watching the news or reading the newspaper to confirm that there doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel just yet. With a war being fought on two fronts, and an economic crisis in full swing, the President has his hands full.

It stands to reason then, that he must prioritize. With foreign conflicts, such as the current refugee crisis developing in Pakistan, many pundits are calling for a complete withdrawal from the region--citing that our presence there negates the President's recent overtures to the Muslim world, as well as drains our economy of much needed resources considering its current state.

Have your students examine the specific powers and responsibilities of the president as delineated in Article II of the constitution. Have them consider the current tasks the president is undertaking, such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Wall Street, the distribution of stimulus money, etc., and have them decide where these issues fall under his realm of authority. What do they feel should be his priorities. Have them set an agenda for what they feel the president should address during the remaining years of his administration and in which order.