Final answer:
The legislature can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This supermajority requirement reflects the checks and balances system, ensuring no one branch of government has absolute power.
Step-by-step explanation:
Overriding a Presidential Veto
If the legislature feels strongly enough about the legislation to reconsider it, a two-thirds majority of the members of both houses of the legislature can override the veto. When the president vetoes a bill, the Constitution gives Congress the authority to override this veto and enact the bill into law without the president's consent, but achieving this override requires a significant consensus.
The process is difficult because it usually requires members of the president's own party to vote against their leader, highlighting the balance of power within the United States government.
Similarly, at the state level, when a governor vetoes a bill, the legislature may also attempt to override the veto. This again requires a two-thirds vote, commonly known as a supermajority, to pass the bill over the governor’s objections. These checks and balances are foundational to the American system of government and ensure that no single branch can hold absolute power.