Checks and Balances

How the Judicial Branch checks the Legislative Branch (1)

1. Judicial Review, which means to rule on the constitutionality of laws made by congress (I).

How the Legislative Branch Checks the Executive Branch (9)

1. The Congress has impeachment power over the President (C) 2. The Congress may override a presidential veto with 2/3 vote of both houses (C) 3. The Senate approves most Presidential appointments (C) 4. The Senate approves treaties (C) 5. Congress Controls appropriations for Executive Branch Operations (C) 6. Congress creates (and funds) agencies that carry out the law (C) 7. Only congress can declare war (C) 8. Congress sets salaries for all federal employees including their own (C) 9. Congress can conduct investigations into Presidential and executive branch actions. (I)

How the Executive Branch checks the Judicial Branch (3)

1. The President appoints all Federal judges if there is a vacancy(C) 2. The President may grant Pardons and Reprieves, there is no check on this power (C) 3. The President can refuse to enforce court decisions (I)

How the Executive Branch checks the Legislative Branch (8)

1. The President may veto any law passed by Congress. (C) 2. The President may call special sessions of congress. (C) 3. The President may suggest laws to Congress, thus determining their agenda (I) 4. The President may lobby for his legislation (I) 5. The President may appeal directly to the people to get the Congress to act (I) 6. The President is the assumed leader of his political party (I) 7. Since the President carries out/enforces the law (C), he can therefore interpret the law at times (I) 8. The Vice President casts the tie breaking vote in the senate (C)

How the Legislative Branch checks the Judicial Branch (6)

1. The Senate approves judges appointed by the President (C) 2. Congress may increase or decrease the number of federal courts below the supreme court (C) 3. Congress may increase or decrease the number of justices on the supreme court (C) 4. The Congress has impeachment power over federal judges (C) 5. Congress may start the amendment process to the constitution to bypass the high court's decisions (C) 6. Congress sets all federal judges salaries (C)

How the Judicial Branch Checks The Executive Branch (3)

1. The Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review which means they may rule Presidential actions and those of the Executive Bureaucracy to be unconstitutional (I) 2. They issue warrants (C) 3. The Chief Justice presides over the impeachment trial of a President that is held in the Senate (C)