Checks and Balances
Our Founding Fathers wanted to ensure the
new government did not abuse its power under the new Constitution
Created three separate branches, with none being more powerful than another
Background
The Three Branches
A Quick Review
The Legislative Branch
Article I Makes the laws Includes Congress
(the Senate and the House of Representatives)
The Executive Branch
Article II Enforces the laws Includes the
President
The Judicial Branch
Article III Interprets the laws Includes the U.S.
Supreme Court and lower federal courts
What are checks and balanc
es?
this branchoverthis branch
LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE JUDICIAL
LEGISLATIVE Proposing legislation
Vetoing bills
Declare laws unconstitutional
EXECUTIVE Override vetoImpeach presidentApprove
appointments
Declare executive acts
unconstitutional
JUDICIAL Propose new Amendments
Impeach justicesConfirm
appointments
Appointing judges that
share viewpointsEnforcing the
Court’s decisions
Checks and Balances
President Obama issued an executive order about
immigration…Congress feels he circumvented their power to make laws.
The U.S. Supreme Court has placed same sex marriage on their docket…Congress feels they’re trying to create laws
Congress has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the Affordable Health Care Act Obama suggested the legislation that Congress passed in 2009
The Speaker of the House invited PM Netanyahu of Israel to address Congress…The Executive Branch usually deals with foreign leaders
Current Struggles
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