system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: The real powers of the President of the United States. 

This election season seems to be getting a lot more attention than previous ones and more so because of Mitt Romney's views. He is against abortion, evolution, gay marriage, and other controversial social issues but it got me thinking. If he gets into public office, he doesn't have the authority to outright ban or change these issues does he? I feel Congress ultimately has the power to enact real change along with the Supreme Court and the President just signs the bills (or vetoes, but then it can be overturned by Congress). I may be way off base here but it seems the President doesn't have much power over the country at all even though they're in the highest appointed elected office.
gpt
The President may not be as powerful as the entirety of congress, but he does have the single most influence on the country than any person in the government.

The President can order the military to do whatever he chooses, and is not required to go to congress unless it is going to take at least 100 days to do. And even then, he often doesn't.

The president also has a lot of influence over congress indirectly: As the unofficial leader of one of either the democrats or republicans, the president can convince and guide the  congress to pass bills he likes, and kill bills he doesn't. And if Congress decides not to cooperate with the president, he can veto the bills they pass. And unless congress is really sure they want to pass the bill, the veto will stop it from becoming law.

The president also appoints the heads of many committees like the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, which set policies regarding everything from the handling of nuclear material to the preservation of the forests bambi plays in.

And finally, the president proposes who will be new members of the Supreme Court. And whoever he puts on the Supreme Court will probably be on it for a very long time, on average they serve for 16 years-- But some have served as long as almost 37 years! Depending on who the president picks, this can influence what our government does for a very long time.