Checks and Balances Overview

Checks and Balances Worksheet and Notes Create and pass legislation Power: Legislative Checked: Executive and Judicial Veto bills Power: Executive Checked: Legislative Ratify treaties Power: Legislative Checked: Executive Appoint Federal judges Power: Executive Checked: Judicial Impeachment of federal officials Power: legislative Checked: executive Confirm the appointment of presidential appointments Power: legislative Checked: executive Declare laws unconstitutional Power: judicial Checked: legislative Override presidential vetoes Power: legislative Checked: executive Judges are appointed for life Power: executive Checked: judicial Introduce laws Legislative Declare laws unconstitutional Judicial Signs bills into law Executive Coins money Legislative Nominates Supreme Court justices Executive Declares war Legislative Vetoes bills Executive Interprets/makes meaning of laws Judicial Serves as commander in chief of the army and navy Executive Issues a pardon Executive Overrides a presidential veto Legislative Borrows money on behalf of the united states Legislative Makes treaties Executive Impeaches/removes the president Legislative Enforces the laws Executive Appoints Supreme Court justices Executive Is commander in chief of armed forces Executive Makes the laws Legislative Vetoes laws Executive Decides constitutionality of laws Judicial Ratifies treaties Legislative Grants pardons for federal crimes Executive Interprets the laws Judical Impeaches the president Legislative Supports the army and the navy Executive Appoints ambassadors Executive Conducts foreign policy Executive Executive-> Legislative Veto or recommend legislation Call special sessions of congress or adjourn it if necessary 1/3 Executive-> Judicial Appoints Supreme Court justices and other federal judges Judicial-> Executive Judges are appointed for life (free from executive control) Judicial-> Legislative Courts may declare acts of congress to be unconstitutional Legislative-> Judicial Creates lower courts May remove judges through impeachment Senate approves or rejects appointment of judges Legislative-> Executive Makes laws approves treaties and appointments Creates agencies and programs appropriate funds to carry out laws and programs override veto with 2/3 vote may remove the president through impeachment Our Nation's Fundamental law Constitution of the US The supreme law of the land Constitution of the US Highest form of law in the us Constitution of the US Characteristics of a constitution Short not detailed Written or unwritten Can be changed Sets limits on government Defines the role of government Identifies the relationship between the government and the people Six basic principles of the constitution Popular sovereignty Limited government Separation of powers Checks and balances Judicial review Federalism Popular sovereignty People are the only source of any and all government power government can govern only with the consent of the governed "We the People" Limited Government Government is not all powerful it can only do the things the people have given it the power to do Limited government (2 ways to define) Constitutionalism- government must obey the law government must be conducted according to constitutional principles Limited government (2 ways to define) Rule of Law- government and all of its officers are subject to the law and never above it Separation of Powers Powers of government are distributed among legislative executive and judicial Legislative Makes the laws Executive Executes or enforces the law Judicial Interprets the law Purpose of separation of power Create a stronger government that has limited powers Checks and balances Each branch of government has powers which allow it to restrain or limit the other branches. It forces government to compromise and prevents fighting between the branches. Judicial Review Power to decide if what government does is in accord with the constitution Established in the Supreme Courts case Marbury v Madison 1803 Unconstitutional Declared illegal null and void this power is held by all federal courts and most state courts 3 reasons why the Supreme Court would declare a law unconstitutional Goes against the constitution Violates one of the 27 amendments State law that goes against the constitution Federalism The divisions of power between a central government and several regional governments ( USA with national level government and state level government)