Am Gov Separation of Powers & Checks and Balances

Powers of the Legislative Branch

Can create a federal budget (power of the purse), can raise revenue (through taxes, tariffs, etc.), can coin money, can declare war, can raise and maintain the armed forces

Powers of the Executive Branch

Commander-in-chief of armed forces, proposes laws, can create treaties, appoints Supreme Court justices and federal judges, can pardon those convicted in federal court

Powers of the Judicial Branch

Decides constitutionality of laws, decides cases involving disputes between states

Executive over Legislative

Can veto acts of Congress, can call Congress into a special session, carries out laws passed by Congress, vice president casts tie-breaking vote in the Senate

Legislative over Executive

Can override presidential veto, can impeach and remove president, can reject president's appointments, can refuse to ratify treaties, can conduct investigations into president's actions, can refuse to pass laws or to provide funding that president requests

Legislative over Judicial

Can change size of federal court system and the number of Supreme Court justices, can propose constitutional amendments, can reject Supreme Court nominees, can impeach and remove federal judges

Judicial over Legislative

Can declare laws unconstitutional, chief justice presides over Senate during hearing to impeach the president

Judicial over Executive

Can declare executive actions unconstitutional, power to issue warrants, chief justice presides over impeachment of president

Executive over Judicial

Nominates Supreme Court justices, nominates federal judges, can pardon those convicted in federal court, can refuse to enforce Court decisions