How much power.......

Depends on whether he or she has a friendly or a hostile congress and Senate. It also depends on what sort of political ties they bring with them to office. No one governs alone from the oval office. The president brings a lifetime's worth of wheeling and dealing into that office.

Being the head of the most influential country in the world? The president holds quite a bit of power in that area. A vast majority of eyes will always be pointed at the president watching every move that has been made and is making. There must be a catch. I just don't have the slightest idea.

The current President has way too much power, in my opinion, both the kind all Presidents have had and the "extra" power he's given himself with all of his "Signing Statements", having used more himself than all of our past Presidents combined. http://www.coherentbabble.com/signingstatements/TOCindex.htm#topofpage The above link is NOT an opinion piece, it's just a list of all the Signing Statements from 2001 through 2008 so far. Annie

Well in theory the President is only in partial control of the government and ism held in check by the House and Senate. In reality the President is in complete control of the military, who in times of war or national emergency have the power to declare total power (Martial Law) thus rendering them the most powerful branch of our government and in that right the most dangerous.