Changes

== Separation of Powers ==

== Separation of Powers ==

A unique characteristic of the American system of government, as established by the U.S. Constitution, is the '''''separation of powers'''''.  The Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches are kept completely separate from either other in their decisionmaking.  Each of branches acts as an '''''independent''''' "check and balance" against the power of the other branches.  The U.S. Supreme Court invalidates laws that tend to blur the distinction between the different branches.

A unique characteristic of the American system of government, as established by the U.S. Constitution, is the '''''separation of powers'''''.  The Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches are kept completely separate from either other in their decisionmaking.  Each of branches acts as an '''''independent''''' "check and balance" against the power of the other branches.   

 

The U.S. Supreme Court invalidates laws that tend to blur the distinction between the different branches.  For example, a federal law was passed to give the president a "line-item veto" power, which would enable him to veto some parts of a bill while signing into law other parts of a bill.  Governors in many states, including New Jersey, have this power to veto lines within bills without vetoing the entire bill.  But the U.S. Constitution does not permit one branch of government to "pick and choose" from what another branch does.  So even though the line-item veto power exists for many governors at the state level, it is unconstitutional at the federal level.

 

 

Historians credit French philosopher Baron Montesquieu with the original idea for the separation of powers.

== Congress ==

== Congress ==