The Branches of Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Branches of Government - Essay Example The power of the federal government is divided among the three branches: the executive, judicial and legislative. Therefore, the separation of the powers has been done in a strict manner. Additionally, the power exercised by any of the three branches is limited in several ways through the powers provided to the other branches of the federal government; due to this, the standard of checks and balances has been established (Accountability in Government 9). One of the results of separating and allocating powers to different branches of the government is that it subjects the government to constant scrutiny, and, therefore, is subject to continued process of accountability (Accountability in Government 10). It is important to note that the Constitution does not have a direct provision that mandates the separation of powers among the three federal government branches. However, the doctrine of separation is critical to the United States government (â€Å"Separation of Powers of Government†). The separation and allocation of powers has ensured that no branch of the government has monopoly over the principle powers of the government. This has prevented the creation of a very strong government with the ability to overpower the individual state governments. Governmental responsibilities intentionally overlap. For instance, the president possesses the power to appoint all the federal ambassadors, judges, and other high-ranking government officials; however, all the appointments must have consent and advice of the Senate. The final authority is possessed by the Supreme Court, which can strike down the acts of the executive and the legislative branches as unconstitutional (Russell). Though the system has worked to some extent, there are exceptional cases where the presidents have done things that can be regarded as unconstitutional. Based on the Constitution, the president can only