Question

But quitting the dim light of historical research, and attaching ourselves purely to the dictates of reason and good sense, we shall discover much greater cause to reject than to approve the idea of plurality in the executive, under any modification whatever. Wherever two or more persons are engaged in any common enterprise or pursuit, there is always danger of difference of opinion... Whenever these happen, they lessen the respectability, weaken the authority, and distract the plans and operations of those whom they divide. If they should unfortunately assail the supreme executive magistracy of a country, consisting of a plurality of persons, they might impede or frustrate the most important measures of the government in the most critical emergencies of the state. And what is still worse, they might split the community into the most violent and irreconcilable factions, adhering differently to the different individuals who composed the magistracy. Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 70

Which of the following constitutional provisions would replace a division of executive power into a plurality of executives to check the power of a single chief executive?
A. Separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
B. The establishment of an independent judiciary to interpret the Constitution and check the power of the executive.
C. The requirement for Senate confirmation of certain executive appointments.
D. The provision for a vice president to assume the presidency in the event of the chief executive's inability to perform the duties of the office.

Answer 1

Hamilton's Federalist No. 70 supports a single executive with powers checked by separation of powers among the branches of government, to prevent potential discord and inefficiency from a plurality of executives.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist No. 70, expressed concern over a plurality in the executive as potentially leading to discord and weakened governmental operations. He favored a single chief executive with powers checked by the system of separation of powers and a system of checks and balances. In considering the constitutional provisions that replace the division of executive power, to check the power of a single chief executive, the option that best reflects this principle is separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. This system is designed to ensure that no single branch gains too much power, with each branch having distinct responsibilities and the ability to limit the powers of the others, as envisioned by both Hamilton and Madison in their respective Federalist writings.