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Government Power: The Three Branches Of Government

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Government Power: The Three Branches Of Government
Legislative Power
Each of the three branches of government have an incredible amount of power. These branches are the ingredients that make our government what it is today. They all hold powers that work together to keep the government working as a whole. There are many checks placed on each branch to make sure that one doesn’t become too powerful, but that does not mean one is not slightly more powerful than the others. Even though the president and Supreme Court judges hold immense power, the legislative branch is the most powerful because of their ability to declare war, use the power of the purse and most importantly, their power to make laws. The power to declare war is a power no other branch holds. Looking back at all of the wars the …show more content…
"All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States," and while Congress also serves representative and oversight functions, creating legislation is the main purpose that Congress serves” (Dodds). This gives them the power to say what the United States and its citizens can and cannot do, making it the main role they serve. All of the laws put in action today were created by the legislative branch and their complicated system. Although the president can veto a bill, and the courts can declare them unconstitutional, there would be nothing to veto or call unjust if the laws were not created by the legislative branch. The power to create the laws gives the legislative branch huge power because not only does it say what citizens of America have to comply with, but what the other branches have to obey as well. The power to make laws limits the president’s power to make sure he would not make laws that only benefit his political party or himself alone. This power checks the president’s power, while giving more power to the legislative …show more content…
"Legislative branch." In Genovese, Michael A., and Lori Cox Han. Encyclopedia of American Government and Civics. New York: Facts On File: 2008. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EAGC0146&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
May, David A. "War Powers Act." In Schultz, David, ed. Encyclopedia of American Law and Criminal Justice, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2012. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EALCJ693&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).
Roy E. Brownell, II. "Power of the purse." In Dewhirst, Robert E. Encyclopedia of the United States Congress. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. U.S. Government Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE36&Details.aspx&iPin=EUSC350&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 28, 2014).

Signed Copy of the Constitution of the United States; Miscellaneous Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789; Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789, Record Group 360; National Archives. (Primary
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