High school students learn about the three branches of our government and their responsibilities – at least they did when I was in school decades ago.
Our Constitution provides for three branches of government in Article I, II, and III.
This system of checks and balances ensures that no one branch of government has absolute power. Each branch can check the power of the others, creating a stable and balanced government.
Stable and balanced?
Over the centuries we seem to have drifted away from the purpose of this separation of power.
This separation of powers is a fundamental principle of American government, designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. Each branch has its own specific purposes and responsibilities:
- Legislative Branch:
- Makes laws. ✔️
- Composed of the bicameral Congress:
- Senate (100 members, two from each state)
- House of Representatives (435 members, apportioned by population)
- Has the power to declare war, approve treaties, and control the federal budget.✔️
- Executive Branch:
- Carries out laws passed by Congress.
- Headed by the President, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
- Includes the Vice President, Cabinet departments, and federal agencies.
- Enforces laws, conducts foreign policy, and negotiates treaties.✔️
- Judicial Branch:
- Interprets laws and the Constitution.
- Composed of the Supreme Court and lower federal courts.
- Has the power to review the actions of the other two branches and strike down laws that are found to be unconstitutional.
Two issues to consider.
Isn’t who we elect to Congress at least as important as who we elect as president?
Should a president be held responsible for all we blame them for?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Considering the tremendous demographics and technology changes the US has undergone since 1776, the original Constitution with amendments is working pretty well.
The office of the President has expanded the powers originally delegated to Congress though. Congress has become more and more dysfunctional especially with initiating and passing the federal budget. So the functionaries supporting the President have willingly stepped in to have the President spend federal monies at their political discretion. This has led to government spending growth trajectory that is not sustainable. And yet the growth continues.
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I’ve never heard a President who will say “well, that didn’t turn out like I thought it would”. No, they go on as if it never happened.
Anyway, the Presidency is much stronger today relative to what is in the old civics books. Look at executive orders, which are now popular. The President also can make deals with his party leaders in the house and senate. He can appoint Supreme Court justices (if an opening occurs). The president you vote for is far more important than the representative in your district or even your senators. They may have good ideas but they are elected to an assembly of two minds, right-left, conservative-liberal, you get the idea.
Ask yourself, could your representative keep pandering on student loan payoff like Biden. Could your representative order the production of electric vehicles in a mad rush like Biden. Could your representative send funds to Ukraine like Biden and continually ask for more.
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Every president I can remember has taken credit for accomplishments of our government. They take credit for driving and pushing bills through Congress and the Senate. They take credit for using the power of their office to stop bills they don’t like. Not to many (if any) have ever stepped up and taken the blame.
So yes when a leader take credit they most definitely should be in front of the group we hold responsible and take the blame!
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The current president always takes credit and always gets blamed as you say and the facts don’t matter. On the other hand, too many Americans don’t seem to understand how their government works. Who they vote for in Congress is equally maybe more important than for president.
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He definitely gets blamed. But you miss the point. He NEVER takes or accepts the blame. It’s always Trump’s fault. Border crisis “it’s Trump’s fault”, inflation “it’s Trump’s fault,” Iran attacks Israel “it’s Trump’s fault!”
Every major elected office is important. Just as important is a president who accepts responsibility!
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Don’t agree that Congress is more important–the president has become too powerful whether an “R” or a “D”–we have fought overseas at various times without a declaration of war–executive powers have been responsible most recently for transferring debt from one group of us to another–for immigration actions by Trump and then Biden–by executive order Biden recently cemented certain federal workers into their positions as Trump has promised mass firings (which by civil service rules he can’t do).
Even more important the federal government through agencies like EPA and Justice wield enormous power but is directed by the executive branch–can you spell EV cars and trucks–Justice controls the FBI, as an example, and the most recent “Richmond memo” targeting certain types of Catholics. The president whether a “D” or “R” leads these agencies and can mandate they ease off or move with vigor on issues. The EPA head can deep six many proposals by the bureaucrats. The “deep state” really does live and it can be scary.
We won’t even discuss the federal court system and the appointment power of the president–that right he/she has constitutionally but they wield tremendous power.
I agree with you wholeheartedly about power resting with our elected representatives but in this modern day world I think power has shifted. We really do need checks and balances.
Rodger is 100% right–when things are positive a president takes credit–there is a glitch and someone is to blame not her/him.
Of course presidents get too much credit or blame but it is so easy not to see nuances and why give credit to someone you despise.
Do facts matter? For most people only those facts that fit their ideology matter. See the recent inflation discussion or the migrant issue. Remember, consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.
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