Constitutional and political position of the vice president of the United States : between the legislative and the executive branch

Imprecise regulation of the position of US vice president in the Constitution caused that this office was perceived as 'no man's land somewhere between the legislative and the executive branch'. The literal wording of the provisions of the Constitution, under which the vice president serves as president of the Senate, indicates that the office of vice president belongs to the legislative branch. Chairing the Senate was in fact the only duty executed by the vice presidents until half of the twentieth century. In the second half of the twentieth century presidents began to assign executive duties to vice presidents, that led to the evolution of the office of vice president, as a result of which from today's perspective it is seen as much closer to the executive branch. Assignment of presidential powers to the vice presidents, in connection with a significant increase of the position of the vice presidents, may, however, raise doubts if such a practice is constitutional, especially on the background of the Supreme Court decision in Bowsher v. Synar case of 1986 and practical take-over of some presidential powers by Al Gore and Dick Cheney. Despite this, the evolution of the office of vice president in the direction of the executive branch, due to making this organ effectively assist the president in carrying out his duties, deserves a positive opinion.