Question

One of the basic principles of government in the United States, checks and balances, comes from the Enlightenment thinker Baron de Montesquieu.

Which of the following describes how the branches check each other?

A. The President can veto laws passed by the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court can declare laws passed by Congress

B. The President appoints judges to the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court can declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional; Congress can impeach the President

C. The President approves judges for the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court can veto laws passed by Congress; Congress can impeach the President

D. The President can declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional; Congress appoints judges to the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court can impeach the President

Answer 1

B. The President appoints judges to the Supreme Court; the Supreme Court can declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional; Congress can impeach the President

The principle of checks and balances is a key feature of the United States government, and it is designed to ensure that no one branch of government becomes too powerful. This principle is based on the ideas of Enlightenment thinker Baron de Montesquieu, who believed that the power of government should be divided among different branches in order to prevent abuses of power.

In the United States government, the three branches of government are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Each branch has its own powers and responsibilities, and they are designed to check and balance the power of the other branches. For example, the President appoints judges to the Supreme Court, but the Senate must confirm these appointments. The Supreme Court can declare laws passed by Congress unconstitutional, but Congress can override this decision with a two-thirds majority vote. And Congress has the power to impeach the President, but the Supreme Court has the final say in any impeachment trial.