CONTENT STATEMENT
The political process creates a dynamic interaction among the three branches of government in addressing current issues.
Content elaboration
Current issues are addressed by all three branches of the government as they make public policy. The interactions among the branches range from instances where they work together in concert to instances involving the exercise of checks and balances. Examples include:
- legislative branch checking the executive: overrides vetoes, impeaches and removes civil officers, approves appointments and treaties;
- legislative branch checking the judicial: impeaches and removes federal judges, proposes constitutional amendments;
- executive branch checking the legislative: vetoes legislation;
- executive branch checking the judicial: nominates federal judges, grants pardons and reprieves;
- judicial branch checking the legislative: reviews and interprets the laws, declares acts unconstitutional; and
- judicial branch checking the executive: reviews and interprets the laws, federal judges not subject to removal by president, declares executive acts unconstitutional.
- The interaction among the three branches of government is impacted by the following:
- interest group involvement, e.g. proposing legislation, advocating rules, filing briefs;
- political party control of the executive and legislative branches;
- amount of public interest and nature of media coverage/commentary; and
- informal relationships among the members of each branch.
EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING
Use examples of checks and balances among two or three branches of the federal government to illustrate dynamic interactions.