Which of the following is an example of how the Constitution sets up a balance of powers between the three branches of government?
The president is the commander-in-chief of the military, but Congress must declare war.
The president is elected for four-year terms, and senators for six-year terms.
The president and the Supreme Court justices get their jobs through different means.
The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, and the Senate by the vice president.
The correct answer is: The president is the commander-in-chief of the military, but Congress must declare war.
To determine the correct answer, you need to understand how the Constitution establishes a balance of powers between the three branches of government. The Constitution divides the powers of the government between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
In this example, the Constitution sets up a balance of powers by giving the president the role of commander-in-chief of the military. This means that the president has the authority to make military decisions and lead the armed forces. However, the Constitution also gives Congress the specific power to declare war. This means that, although the president can control the military, Congress must make the decision to enter into a war. This ensures that the president does not have unchecked power when it comes to military actions.
The other options provided do not demonstrate a balance of powers between the three branches of government as directly as the example mentioned above. While they may involve different responsibilities and functions of each branch, they do not explicitly demonstrate the separation of powers and checks and balances as clearly as the president's power as commander-in-chief and Congress's power to declare war.