The first three articles in the United States Constitution address the duties of the three federal branches. Each articles additionally addresses the unique responsibilities of the three branches. These articles are what provide for equal separation of powers. They grant individual powers to each branch without granting an excess amount of power to a single branch. Article I addresses that the legislative branch will legislate the laws. Article II states that the executive branch must execute the laws while Article III requires the judicial branch to adjudicate the laws. In Linda R. Monks words, (the author of The Words We Live By, an annotated guide to the Constitution), the first three articles contain the “laundry list of federal powers”
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It consists of a total four sections which state how members of the executive branch will be elected, what the President is expected to do and the process of impeachment of any members of the executive branch. The four sections altogether, give the executive branch the power to execute the laws. Though, like Monk states, “Article II does not define the exact nature of the president’s powers. Unlike Article I, which limits the powers of Congress to those ‘herein granted,’ Article II vests the president with the entire ‘executive power’ (Monk 65). This means that the President is not limited to only the powers listed in Article II. Section 2 does in fact, though list both the responsibilities and powers of the President. These powers listed include the power to grant reprieves and pardons and to be the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. Section 2 also grants the President the power to negotiate treaties with foreign nations as long as the President has the advice and consent of the Senate. As of July 2015, “Iran and a group of six nations led by the United States reached a historic accord on Tuesday to significantly limit Tehran’s nuclear ability for more than a decade in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions” (Gordon 1). Although President Obama has made the choice to “fight to preserve the deal,” he has not gained the advice and consent of …show more content…
Three sections make up Article III, making it the shortest of the three articles establishing the three federal branches. Section 1 grants the Supreme Court and any lower courts that Congress may establish, the judicial power. This power is not specified, though “the duty of the judicial branch is to interpret the laws” (Monk 90). The judicial branch is expected to adjudicate the laws, meaning that they are to both understand the constitutional laws, and then relay that information accordingly in court. The court decided it’s position as “ultimate interpreter of the Constitution” in both 1962 and 1974 (Monk 91). Section 2 “defines the jurisdiction of the federal courts” (Monk 98). It grants the courts the ability to decide specific cases. An example of the Supreme Court’s abilities can be found in a New York Times articles published June 2015. The article reads, “the U.S Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the federal government can continue to provide subsidies that help residents of all states buy health insurance, preserving President Barack Obama’s signature 2010 health care law.” Here, it can be seen that the Supreme Court researched the original law, interpreted it, and then relayed its decision. This power is granted to the judicial branch in the second article of the Constitution which loosely gives both the power and the
It consists of a total four sections which state how members of the executive branch will be elected, what the President is expected to do and the process of impeachment of any members of the executive branch. The four sections altogether, give the executive branch the power to execute the laws. Though, like Monk states, “Article II does not define the exact nature of the president’s powers. Unlike Article I, which limits the powers of Congress to those ‘herein granted,’ Article II vests the president with the entire ‘executive power’ (Monk 65). This means that the President is not limited to only the powers listed in Article II. Section 2 does in fact, though list both the responsibilities and powers of the President. These powers listed include the power to grant reprieves and pardons and to be the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. Section 2 also grants the President the power to negotiate treaties with foreign nations as long as the President has the advice and consent of the Senate. As of July 2015, “Iran and a group of six nations led by the United States reached a historic accord on Tuesday to significantly limit Tehran’s nuclear ability for more than a decade in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions” (Gordon 1). Although President Obama has made the choice to “fight to preserve the deal,” he has not gained the advice and consent of …show more content…
Three sections make up Article III, making it the shortest of the three articles establishing the three federal branches. Section 1 grants the Supreme Court and any lower courts that Congress may establish, the judicial power. This power is not specified, though “the duty of the judicial branch is to interpret the laws” (Monk 90). The judicial branch is expected to adjudicate the laws, meaning that they are to both understand the constitutional laws, and then relay that information accordingly in court. The court decided it’s position as “ultimate interpreter of the Constitution” in both 1962 and 1974 (Monk 91). Section 2 “defines the jurisdiction of the federal courts” (Monk 98). It grants the courts the ability to decide specific cases. An example of the Supreme Court’s abilities can be found in a New York Times articles published June 2015. The article reads, “the U.S Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the federal government can continue to provide subsidies that help residents of all states buy health insurance, preserving President Barack Obama’s signature 2010 health care law.” Here, it can be seen that the Supreme Court researched the original law, interpreted it, and then relayed its decision. This power is granted to the judicial branch in the second article of the Constitution which loosely gives both the power and the