What are the primary functions of Presidential Cabinet Members?
Besides the important responsibilities associated with running specific departments of government, Presidential Cabinet Members are supposed to be official advisors to the President. In defining the term “advisor,” the Merriam Webster dictionary refers to such descriptive terms as “counsel,” “inform,” and “recommend;” but it also associates “advisor” with such words as “warn” and “caution.” Does the Cabinet adequately “warn” the President, and does the President usually listen? Most CEO’s have relatively large egos, and Presidents of the United States are certainly no exception. When harnessed, a large ego can be an asset for a top leader, but quite often an excessive ego will prevent a leader from genuinely listening to the advice of others–in this case, U.S. Presidents have relied less and less on the advice of their Cabinet advisors. Albeit the Cabinet is still a key element of Executive Branch leadership, this advisory body has typically declined in its influence upon Presidential
