Final answer:
Cabinet meetings provide a platform for decision-making, policy formulation, and coordination among cabinet members. Their scope and influence differ across presidential and parliamentary regimes, with greater consistency in parliamentary systems. Cabinets reflect each president or prime minister's preferences and political considerations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Functions of Cabinet Meetings
The cabinet meetings serve several functions for the cabinet members. These include decision-making, policy formulation, and coordination. While in presidential regimes like the United States, cabinet members tend to have a more limited role in the day-to-day decision-making of the President, they still play critical roles in policy-making and implementation within their substantive areas of oversight. For instance, the Secretary of Education can significantly impact education policy, as seen during Betsy DeVos's tenure.
In contrast, in parliamentary regimes, cabinet members are often members of the parliament and play a more consistent and significant role in government and public policy formation. The Prime Minister must consult cabinet members on proposed actions, making these meetings a critical part of governing. Cabinets in both systems reflect the politics of the era, with presidential appointments being politically significant and parliamentary appointments being based on party and expertise.
Additionally, it's not uncommon for presidents and prime ministers to have an official cabinet for ceremonial and formal functions and an unofficial "kitchen cabinet" for more private, trusted advice. This practice indicates the variety of ways in which cabinet meetings can be utilized by executives in different political systems.