Title: How does the system of checks and balances limit the power of the President (Please Help)? | Yahoo Answers
Headings: How does the system of checks and balances limit the power of the President (Please Help)?
How does the system of checks and balances limit the power of the President (Please Help)?
7 Answers
Anonymous

Content: ...Show more
Source (s): / Bufflo Soulja
10 years ago
First, the basics. There are three branches in the federal American government; The Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Each branch is given distinct powers by the US Constitution and those powers were delegated so each branch could serve as a "check" on the power invested in the other two branches. This was intended to "balance" the power between all three branches so that no single branch would become so powerful that it would become the de facto ruling power of the country. How successful this has been and how evenly the powers are, in reality, balanced is the subject of much debate but that is not for this discussion. The Legislative Branch - generally, has the power to pass legislation, has the "power of the purse", and is supposed to have the final war-making authority (where most of the debates come from). First of all, the legislative branch proposes (the President may also use his "Bully Pulpit" to influence legislation but he has no power to introduce a bill into Congress) legislation, debates and changes legislation, and then votes on the passage of legislation. This check on the president's power is intended to prevent one person (the president) from having the sole law-making authority (debates arise with the use of executive orders and presidential signing statements) which was what the founders where so fearful of from their insights into human history and practical experience with the English monarchy.