GED Social Studies TestCivics and GovernmentHard
A political analyst is studying the evolution of presidential power. They observe that over time, the President has increasingly issued executive orders and used executive agreements to bypass the legislative process, especially in areas of foreign policy and national security. This trend could be seen as a challenge to which core principle of the U.S. Constitution?
- ASeparation of Powers
- BJudicial Review
- CPopular Sovereignty
- DFederalism
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Separation of Powers
When the executive branch uses methods like executive orders and agreements to act without congressional approval, it can be seen as encroaching on the legislative power, thereby challenging the principle of separation of powers designed to keep the branches distinct.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Judicial review is the power of the courts, not directly challenged by executive orders unless they are later challenged in court.
- C. Popular sovereignty refers to the power of the people, not the distribution of power among government branches.
- D. Federalism divides power between national and state governments, not among the branches of the national government.
Separation of Powers
Constitutional principle dividing governmental powers into distinct legislative, executive, and judicial branches to prevent the concentration of power in any single entity.
- Ensures distinct responsibilities for each branch.
- Aims to prevent tyranny and promote accountability.
- Can be challenged by one branch expanding its influence over others.
Memory trick: SEPARATE the powers into THREE distinct sections.