what do the judicial, executive, and legislative branches do with checks and balances?
Please see the site I posted in response to your last question.
Legislative Branch
* Checks on the Executive
o Impeachment power (House)
o Trial of impeachments (Senate)
o Selection of the President (House) and Vice President (Senate) in the case of no majority of electoral votes
o May override Presidential vetoes
o Senate approves departmental appointments
o Senate approves treaties and ambassadors
o Approval of replacement Vice President
o Power to declare war
o Power to enact taxes and allocate funds
o President must, from time-to-time, deliver a State of the Union address
* Checks on the Judiciary
o Senate approves federal judges
o Impeachment power (House)
o Trial of impeachments (Senate)
o Power to initiate constitutional amendments
o Power to set courts inferior to the Supreme Court
o Power to set jurisdiction of courts
o Power to alter the size of the Supreme Court
* Checks on the Legislature - because it is bicameral, the Legislative branch has a degree of self-checking.
o Bills must be passed by both houses of Congress
o House must originate revenue bills
o Neither house may adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other house
o All journals are to be published
Executive Branch
* Checks on the Legislature
o Veto power
o Vice President is President of the Senate
o Commander in chief of the military
o Recess appointments
o Emergency calling into session of one or both houses of Congress
o May force adjournment when both houses cannot agree on adjournment
o Compensation cannot be diminished
* Checks on the Judiciary
o Power to appoint judges
o Pardon power
* Checks on the Executive
o Vice President and Cabinet can vote that the President is unable to discharge his duties
Judicial Branch
* Checks on the Legislature
o Judicial review
o Seats are held on good behavior
o Compensation cannot be diminished
* Checks on the Executive
o Judicial review
o Chief Justice sits as President of the Senate during presidential impeachment
The three branches of government in the United States—the judicial, the executive, and the legislative—are designed to have checks and balances in order to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. Here's how each branch uses checks and balances:
1. Legislative Branch: The legislative branch, composed of the Congress (House of Representatives and Senate), is responsible for making laws. It has several checks over the other branches, including:
- It can impeach and remove the President or other executive officials.
- It can override a President's veto with a two-thirds majority vote.
- It approves appointments and treaties made by the President.
- It controls the budget and can refuse to fund certain executive initiatives.
- It has the power to amend the Constitution, subject to ratification by the states.
2. Executive Branch: The executive branch, headed by the President, enforces laws. Its checks and balances include:
- The President can veto bills passed by Congress.
- The President appoints federal judges, ambassadors, and other executive officials, but the appointments require confirmation by the Senate.
- The President can issue executive orders, but they can be challenged in court.
- The President can propose legislation to Congress and influence policy agendas.
3. Judicial Branch: The judicial branch, led by the Supreme Court, interprets laws. Its checks and balances include:
- The court can declare presidential actions and laws from Congress as unconstitutional through judicial review.
- Judges are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, ensuring multiple branches have a role in their selection.
- The court can determine the constitutionality of executive actions and legislative decisions.
By having these checks and balances, each branch is able to prevent any other branch from becoming too dominant, ensuring a system of shared power and accountability. This system helps maintain a separation of powers and protects individual rights in the United States.