Answer: Broken up into a few different places
Step-by-step explanation:
When the Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution, they did it in such a way that power would not be centralized one one source. The United States Federal Government is broken up in three branches, each with its own powers as well as powers to limit the powers of the other branches if those branches overstep.
This is called the principle of ''Separation of Powers''. The branches that the US Government is divided into are;
- The Executive - This comprises of the President and his Cabinet.
- The Legislative - This comprises of Congress ( House of Representatives and the Senate).
- The Judiciary - This comprises of the Supreme Court and Federal Courts.
These three branches as earlier mentioned, have powers vested in them that allow them to do certain things that the other branches can not. At the most basic level, the Legislative makes laws, the Executive enforces them and the Judiciary administers them.
Duties of the Executive include but are not limited to;
- Executing Laws
- Appointing Officials
- Managing Foreign Policy
Duties of the Legislative;
- Making Laws
- Passing the Budget
- Ratifying treaties
- Removing members of either the Judiciary or the Executive
Duties of the Judiciary;
- Ensuring that laws passed by the Legislative are constitutional
- Settling disputes involving laws and the Constitution
A typical example of the Separation of Powers is this; Congress can pass laws but they are only enforceable after the President signs off on them. If the Judiciary however finds that the law is Unconstitutional, it can strike it down and send it back to Congress.