Responsibilities of a Politician
The list of responsibilities for politicians is extensive. They are responsible for creating and enforcing laws, managing the economy, providing social services to citizens, serving as a figurehead in foreign affairs, and upholding international treaties, among other things. This article will explore some of these responsibilities in detail.
1. Creating and Enforcing Laws
Laws are the foundation of society. These rules control how people act, providing them with guidelines for behavior to keep order within their societies. According to Alexander Djerassi, the laws that politicians create (and sometimes repeal) provide people with boundaries to follow; however, depending on the size of a country’s population or region, these restrictions may vary. For example, in large cities where crime rates are potentially higher than in small towns, stricter laws may lower crime rates.
They also represent their constituents by creating legislation that will protect and serve their interests. Using facts presented by experts, they write bills designed specifically to solve problems individuals have raised about issues relevant to their districts/constituencies.
2. Managing the Economy
Politicians ensure their constituents’ concerns are met by creating legislation that will address problems citizens face. In addition, they make decisions about how taxpayers’ money is spent. To do this effectively, politicians must have a strong understanding of complex fiscal policies and economic issues.
They also provide market stability by bolstering the economy if it should experience a downturn during its term in office. This can be accomplished by cutting taxes for individuals and corporations to increase spending or demand, which will boost the economy back up – sometimes known as ‘pump-priming.’ According to Alexander Djerassi, “The government has created an incentive for companies to hire more employees now rather than later by establishing tax cuts for businesses who retain workers. Thus allowing them time to search for an alternative job or retire during the economic slowdown.
3. Providing Social Services to Citizens
Their constituents have a variety of social needs that must be addressed to function in society. To this end, politicians create laws and allocate taxpayer money to ensure these services are available for their people. In addition, they oversee the effectiveness of government-funded programs such as Social Security.
Politicians represent their constituents when dealing with foreign nations. In addition, they serve as a figurehead who represents their nation to other countries and cultures. They also negotiate agreements between two or more governments. “For example, the President of the United States negotiates treaties with other countries.
International treaties (or public international law between states and international organizations) are negotiated by politicians to establish guidelines for relationships that countries or independent political communities may have with each other. For example, the United States signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
4. Upholding International Treaties
Serving as a Figurehead in Foreign Affairs, Presidents and other elected officials represent their citizens on an international scale; thus, their actions at home influence how other nations feel about them and may impact foreign relations. They also make decisions about spending taxpayer’s money on aid packages and military efforts overseas.
Conclusion
Politicians perform all these tasks in addition to answering their constituents. It is a difficult job but fulfilling if the politician decides to answer the call of public service and step up to serve.
