Principles of the constitution

executive checks on legislature

executive checks on legislature

Legislative

-Recommends legislation to congress

-Confirms laws passed by congress

-Can veto bills proposed by congress

Executive check on Judiciary

-power of pardon

-appoints Justices to the supreme court

Legislative check on executive

-Can override veto with super majority

-amending/rejecting or delaying presidents legislation proposals

-power of the purse

-refusing to approve presidential appointments (Senate only)

-refusing to ratify president’s treaty (senate only)

-impeaching president

Legislative checks on judiciary

-approves appointed justices by president to supreme court

-Can propose constitutional amendments to overturn decisions

-impeachment of judges

Judicial checks on legislature

-Can declare laws unconstitutional

Judicial checks on executive

-declare presidents or executives actions unconstitutional

Separation of Powers

Political power distributed among the legislature, executive and judiciary each acts independently and interdependently

Influencers on the US constitution

Montesquieu

believed in a separation of powers to avoid tyranny

Locke

Limited government

Checks and Balances

Gives each branch of government the means to control the power of the branches in order to maintain a democratic government

Federalism

Political power divided between a national government and state governments