Government Power: The Three Branches Of Government
Legislative Power
Each of the three branches of government have an incredible amount of power. These branches are the ingredients that make our government what it is today. They all hold powers that work together to keep the government working as a whole. There are many checks placed on each branch to make sure that one doesn’t become too powerful, but that does not mean one is not slightly more powerful than the others. Even though the president and Supreme Court judges hold immense power, the legislative branch is the most powerful because of their ability to declare war, use the power of the purse and most importantly, their power to make laws. The power to declare war is a power no other branch holds. Looking back at all of the wars the …show more content…
United States have been involved in, every single one was declared by Congress. This ability gives the legislative branch a huge amount of power because they are the branch that puts the United States into a state of war. This power would only be given to the branch that would not abuse it. Therefore it was given to the branch that has members with outstanding political background in the house, and to the senate, which was said to hold the smartest members. The War Powers Act states that Congress is in charge of declaring when the United States is or is not at war, and limiting the president’s power. “The War Powers Resolution is a law that was passed by Congress in 1973 in an attempt to limit the power of the president to commit U.S. troops without the consent or consultation of Congress” (May). The power to declare war checks the president, to make sure the United States is not put stake because of one man’s decision. The power to declare war checks the power of the president, while giving more power to the legislative branch. The power of the purse is a financial power. “The power of the purse is the authority granted Congress under the U.S. Constitution to tax, borrow, and spend federal funds” (Brownell). This is a very powerful ability, because they get to say how much the government may spend by setting the budget for the government. Money may not be spent from the federal Treasury without congressional approval. If the power of the purse was given to the president, he might have abused it to make sure he had enough money to spend for his ideas or his party and not for the other branches. Since Congress is made up of members of both parties, it is quite unlikely that the budget would benefit one party in particular. By giving this power to the legislative branch it checks the power of the president, while giving the legislative branch more power. The legislative branch is the only branch that can make laws.
"All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States," and while Congress also serves representative and oversight functions, creating legislation is the main purpose that Congress serves” (Dodds). This gives them the power to say what the United States and its citizens can and cannot do, making it the main role they serve. All of the laws put in action today were created by the legislative branch and their complicated system. Although the president can veto a bill, and the courts can declare them unconstitutional, there would be nothing to veto or call unjust if the laws were not created by the legislative branch. The power to create the laws gives the legislative branch huge power because not only does it say what citizens of America have to comply with, but what the other branches have to obey as well. The power to make laws limits the president’s power to make sure he would not make laws that only benefit his political party or himself alone. This power checks the president’s power, while giving more power to the legislative …show more content…
branch.
All of the branches are essential to our government and the United States today. They all hold vital powers that keep the United States running like it should, but the legislative branch has a bit more power than the other branches. The power to declare war, control the power of the purse, and make laws, give the legislative branch more power than the other branches. These powers check the other branches while giving more to the legislative branch.
Bibliography
Crockett, David A. "Bicameral Legislature." In Genovese, Michael A., and Lori Cox Han. Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics. New York: Facts On File: 2008. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EAGC0122&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Dodds, Graham G. "legislative process." In Genovese, Michael A., and Lori Cox Han. Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics. New York: Facts On File: 2008. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EAGC0147&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Fischer, L., Constitutional Conflicts between Congress and the President, 3d ed. (1991); Gwyn, W. B., The Meaning of the Separation of Powers (1965); Knight, B. B., ed., Separation of Powers in the American Political System (1989); Saye, A. B., and Allums, J. F., Principles of American Government, 11th ed. (1990).
Han, Lori Cox.
"Legislative branch." In Genovese, Michael A., and Lori Cox Han. Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics. New York: Facts On File: 2008. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EAGC0146&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
May, David A. "War Powers Act." In Schultz, David, ed. Encyclopedia of American Law and Criminal Justice, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2012. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EALCJ693&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Roy E. Brownell, II. "Power of the purse." In Dewhirst, Robert E. Encyclopedia of the United States Congress. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EUSC350&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Signed Copy of the Constitution of the United States; Miscellaneous Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789, Record Group 360; National Archives. (Primary
Source)
Each of the three branches of government have an incredible amount of power. These branches are the ingredients that make our government what it is today. They all hold powers that work together to keep the government working as a whole. There are many checks placed on each branch to make sure that one doesn’t become too powerful, but that does not mean one is not slightly more powerful than the others. Even though the president and Supreme Court judges hold immense power, the legislative branch is the most powerful because of their ability to declare war, use the power of the purse and most importantly, their power to make laws. The power to declare war is a power no other branch holds. Looking back at all of the wars the …show more content…
United States have been involved in, every single one was declared by Congress. This ability gives the legislative branch a huge amount of power because they are the branch that puts the United States into a state of war. This power would only be given to the branch that would not abuse it. Therefore it was given to the branch that has members with outstanding political background in the house, and to the senate, which was said to hold the smartest members. The War Powers Act states that Congress is in charge of declaring when the United States is or is not at war, and limiting the president’s power. “The War Powers Resolution is a law that was passed by Congress in 1973 in an attempt to limit the power of the president to commit U.S. troops without the consent or consultation of Congress” (May). The power to declare war checks the president, to make sure the United States is not put stake because of one man’s decision. The power to declare war checks the power of the president, while giving more power to the legislative branch. The power of the purse is a financial power. “The power of the purse is the authority granted Congress under the U.S. Constitution to tax, borrow, and spend federal funds” (Brownell). This is a very powerful ability, because they get to say how much the government may spend by setting the budget for the government. Money may not be spent from the federal Treasury without congressional approval. If the power of the purse was given to the president, he might have abused it to make sure he had enough money to spend for his ideas or his party and not for the other branches. Since Congress is made up of members of both parties, it is quite unlikely that the budget would benefit one party in particular. By giving this power to the legislative branch it checks the power of the president, while giving the legislative branch more power. The legislative branch is the only branch that can make laws.
"All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States," and while Congress also serves representative and oversight functions, creating legislation is the main purpose that Congress serves” (Dodds). This gives them the power to say what the United States and its citizens can and cannot do, making it the main role they serve. All of the laws put in action today were created by the legislative branch and their complicated system. Although the president can veto a bill, and the courts can declare them unconstitutional, there would be nothing to veto or call unjust if the laws were not created by the legislative branch. The power to create the laws gives the legislative branch huge power because not only does it say what citizens of America have to comply with, but what the other branches have to obey as well. The power to make laws limits the president’s power to make sure he would not make laws that only benefit his political party or himself alone. This power checks the president’s power, while giving more power to the legislative …show more content…
branch.
All of the branches are essential to our government and the United States today. They all hold vital powers that keep the United States running like it should, but the legislative branch has a bit more power than the other branches. The power to declare war, control the power of the purse, and make laws, give the legislative branch more power than the other branches. These powers check the other branches while giving more to the legislative branch.
Bibliography
Crockett, David A. "Bicameral Legislature." In Genovese, Michael A., and Lori Cox Han. Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics. New York: Facts On File: 2008. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EAGC0122&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Dodds, Graham G. "legislative process." In Genovese, Michael A., and Lori Cox Han. Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics. New York: Facts On File: 2008. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EAGC0147&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Fischer, L., Constitutional Conflicts between Congress and the President, 3d ed. (1991); Gwyn, W. B., The Meaning of the Separation of Powers (1965); Knight, B. B., ed., Separation of Powers in the American Political System (1989); Saye, A. B., and Allums, J. F., Principles of American Government, 11th ed. (1990).
Han, Lori Cox.
"Legislative branch." In Genovese, Michael A., and Lori Cox Han. Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics. New York: Facts On File: 2008. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EAGC0146&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
May, David A. "War Powers Act." In Schultz, David, ed. Encyclopedia of American Law and Criminal Justice, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2012. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EALCJ693&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Roy E. Brownell, II. "Power of the purse." In Dewhirst, Robert E. Encyclopedia of the United States Congress. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EUSC350&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Signed Copy of the Constitution of the United States; Miscellaneous Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789, Record Group 360; National Archives. (Primary
Source)