Principles and Articles of the United States Constitution

Principles and Articles of the United States Constitution Worksheet Part I: Principles of the Constitution The constitution consists of some primary principles. Briefly explain the following principles and their significance in shaping American government. Self-Government: A self-government is also known as a Democracy where the government of a state or country are controlled by the people within those areas. Separation of Powers: Separation of powers is a form of governing where the “powers” of government are split into three different branches: legislative, executive and judicial. Checks and Balances: Checks and balances is a way of balancing the power between the branches so that no one branch has too much or too little power Part II: Balance of Power In the space below, write an analysis of approximately 250 words on how the system of checks and balances in the federal government helps to limit the concentration of power. Cite specific examples. Defend your rationale. Utilize the required readings, academic websites, and the GCU Library as resources for this assignment. The system of checks and balances makes sure that each branch of government has a specific role and is responsible for specific governmental decisions that the others do not necessarily have control over. “As the branch most responsive to the will of the people (who elect its members), Congress has the power to pass laws, declare war, ratify treaties, and levy taxes. The executive branch conducts foreign affairs and commands the armed forces. The judicial branch interprets the laws of Congress and the actions of the president to determine whether they are constitutional,” (Khan Academy). This separation of powers between the governments takes away the chances of there being one branch of government that completely overrules the others and makes the process of decision making fair and unbiased. Because each branch has different powers, if one branch tries to make a decision that does not seem to be the best, the other branches have the power to not pass the decision. “For example, the president has the power to veto, or reject, laws made by Congress. But Congress can balance out that power in its turn by overriding the president’s veto with a two-thirds vote,” (Khan Academy). Checks and balances were placed in the American government system as a way to make sure the laws passed by congress were beneficial to the citizens of the United States rather than just benefiting those in power. Because congress can be made up of people from different political parties, this ensures that one political party isn’t passing laws that only benefits their part; thus, making laws fair to ALL citizens of the United States. Part III: The Three Branches of the Federal Government Answer the following questions. Each response should be 150-200 words. 1. What are the duties and responsibilities of each branch of the federal government? Legislative: The legislative branch in short is responsible for making laws. In large, “The legislative branch drafts proposed laws, confirms or rejects presidential nominations for heads of federal agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court, and has the authority to declare war,” (USA.gov). In order to ensure that this branch is for the people and not just based on personal relations, the people are allowed to vote for who is in the congress. Judicial: The Judicial Branch in short is responsible for evaluating laws presented by the legislative branch. In large, “The judicial branch interprets the meaning of laws, applies laws to individual cases, and decides if laws violate the Constitution,” (USA.gov). From t he Judicial branch evaluating the laws, the approves laws then get passed on to the Executive branch. Executive: In short, the Executive branch is responsible for carrying out the laws. In large, the Executive branch carries out and enforces laws. It includes the president, vice president, the Cabinet, executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards, commissions, and committees,” (USA.gov). To ensure that this branch is for the people, the people of the United States are able to vote for the President. 2. Describe how these three branches are supposed to interact. The three branches of government are responsible for working together to create and pass laws that are beneficial for a majority of the American people. It is also their responsibilities to work together to get rid of laws that hurt the American people. When in disagreement, it is their responsibilities to make a final decision that is going to be suitable for pleasing and protecting the citizens of America. These branches are supposed to act professional when representing the country as a united nation. 3. How effectively do you feel the three branches interact with each other today? Personally, I think the three branches are not doing an effective job on working together today. If we look at the recent presidency, the branches were working against each other in trying to impeach the president. While the impeachment did in fact go through, it is apparent to the public eye that there are many disagreements between the different branches. In many instances, in the public eye, the people within the branches have been very unprofessional when interacting with one another. That being said, I think the three branches are having a hard time finding common ground on their beliefs.