Who Exercises Political Leadership?

The exercise of political leadership is limited to those holding office.
Describe a specific situation in which the exercise of political leadership might not be limited to those holding office. Discuss what you think determines whether or not the exercise of political leadership is limited to those holding office.
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Running a government in an effective manner requires strong political leadership. In the United States, both elected and appointed officials take charge of the most important decisions that greatly influence their constituents' quality of lives. While officials holding office exhibit tangible forms of political leadership, other entities of society---including the media and powerful special interest groups and corporations-- have the clout to influence the direction of politics. However, the power to make changes ultimately lie in the hands of those holding office.

People holding office are vested with powers that shape the course of their communities. For instance, they determine the priorities of their constituents, which interests to attend to, where to allocate funds, etc. Many decisions regarding public space and matters can be traced to a certain official holding office. In a democracy, elected politicians are held accountable for their actions by the people and elections usually serve as a referendum on the leadership abilities of the incumbent. Although appointed officials are not elected, they are often accountable to an elected official who answers to the people. Both elected and appointed officials, therefore, must exercise their political leadership in a way that takes into account the wishes of their constituents.

While officials in office formally exercise political leaderships, other sectors of society can pull strings, so to speak, and influence decisions of the politicians. For example, the media plays a crucial role in checking the power of the people in office. Specifically, it reports on the official's actions in office and helps mold readers' opinions on politicians' job performance, as well as what issues to pay attention to. The media, undoubtedly, plays a huge role on electoral outcomes and therefore, politicians place high importance on their relationships with media executives and editorial decision makers. Furthermore, special interests and corporations often influence political decisions. Officials may be indebted to these groups and count on them for future votes; their overwhelming desire to maintain power leads them to make decisions that are in favor of their benefactors.

Indeed, political leadership is exercised mainly by those holding office. They ultimately decide what issues to prioritize and how to vote. They also--ideally-- answer to the best interests of their constituents. The reality of the political atmosphere, however, is that politicians usually place high value in getting re-elected and therefore, vote in line with the interests of powerful groups that can keep them in power.