Checks+and+Balances

=__**CHECKS & BALANCES**__=



Checks and balances are the features of the Constitution that limit government’s power by requiring that power be balanced among the different governmental institutions. These institutions continually constrain one another’s activities.

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__Legislative:__
The legislative branch, Congress, is a bicameral legislature, in that it has two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives, with 100 in the Senate, each person serving 6 years, and 435 in the House, serving 2 years and totaling 535 people. The House and Senate are equals in the legislative process, but the Constitution grants each chamber unique powers. All in all, according to Article I, section 8 in Constitution, Congress The legislative branch has oversight of the executive branch in the sense that they check on the President’s power, as well as the ways in which he/she establishes laws and makes regulations. This is done mostly through hearings. The President may veto bills Congress passes, but Congress can also override his/her veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. //-Carissa Quiambao (source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/legislative-branch)//
 * can collect taxes, duties
 * imposts and excises in order to pay debts in order to pay for defense and general welfare of the United States
 * borrow money on the credit of the United States
 * regulate commerce with foreign nations
 * punish pirates
 * establish uniform rule of naturalization and bankruptcies
 * establish post offices and post roads
 * coin money
 * declare war
 * raise armies and provide the navy and call forth militia
 * basically exercise legislation in “all cases whatsoever”

**__Executive:__**
Consists of the President, and he preserves, protects and executes the Constitution. The legislative branch checks him in the way that he must execute Congressional orders and the spending authorized by Congress. He also executes orders when Congress declares war, and is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces. The Executive branch checks the legislative branch by being able to veto their laws or refuse to execute them if deemed unconstitutional and may declare a state of emergency. Also, the executive branch

The Judicial branch is able to apply laws to different cases, and can deem a law unconstitutional. Basically, it is the one who interprets the laws made by both the Executive branch and Legislative branch.

//-Tyler Galloway//