What are three powers found in the executive branch and three powers found in the legislative branch? Using the concept of checks and balance describe how the branches interact. Use a current event to illustrate that interaction.
For the powers, please see Article I, Section 8, and Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html
The basic idea is that Congress proposes laws and the president either approves or disapproves them. If he vetoes a bill, the Congress can override him with a 2/3 vote.
The Health Care bill caused President Obama to scale back his ideas and compromise in order to get the bill to pass Congress.
Three powers found in the executive branch are:
1. Appointment Power: The executive branch has the power to appoint individuals to various government positions, including cabinet members, federal judges, and ambassadors.
2. Executive Orders: The President has the authority to issue executive orders, which are directives that have the force of law and allow the President to implement policies and manage the functions of the government.
3. Veto Power: The President can veto bills passed by the legislative branch. This means that the President can reject proposed laws and prevent them from becoming legislation, unless the Congress overrides the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Three powers found in the legislative branch are:
1. Lawmaking Power: The legislative branch, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, has the primary responsibility of making laws. Both chambers can propose, debate, and pass bills that address various issues and concerns.
2. Impeachment Power: The House of Representatives has the power to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President, Vice President, and other federal officials. Impeachment is the first step in the process of removing an official from office for misconduct.
3. Confirmation Power: The Senate has the authority to confirm or reject presidential appointments, including cabinet members, federal judges, and ambassadors. This power allows the legislative branch to check and balance the executive branch by ensuring that only qualified individuals are appointed to key positions.
Checks and balances refer to the system of powers and safeguards built into the US government structure to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. The branches interact through these checks and balances to ensure accountability and prevent the abuse of power.
For example, let's consider a current event regarding the passage of legislation. If Congress passes a bill and sends it to the President for approval, the President can either sign it into law or exercise the veto power. If the President vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress. At this point, the legislative branch can attempt to override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate. This illustrates how the legislative and executive branches interact, with the President having the power to veto legislation, but the Congress having the power to override the veto if they have sufficient support.
Another recent example is the impeachment proceedings against former President Donald Trump in 2021. The House of Representatives, as part of the legislative branch, initiated the impeachment process by accusing President Trump of incitement to insurrection following the Capitol riots. The Senate then conducted a trial to determine his guilt or innocence. This demonstrates the checks and balances, with the legislative branch holding the power to impeach and the executive branch facing potential consequences for their actions.