Overview: In this paper you will: (1) explain our three branches of government with a focus on the separation of powers and checks and balances; and (2) you will illustrate our three branches of government/separation of powers/checks and balances by providing examples for each of the three branches per the prompt below.

Detailed Instructions:

In the instructions below the (%) indicates percentage of your paper/score that should be spent on that part of the prompt.

In your paper –

1. (5%) Introduction – Your paper should provide a summary of your entire paper. I suggest that you draft this section after you have completed your paper.

2. (10 %) Summarize the roles, powers, and operation of the three main branches of government as well as the concepts of (a) separation powers and (b) checks and balances.

3. (about 78% ) (Spend the most time/effort/paper space on this part.)

(26%) Legislative Branch

What can you tell me about the legislative branch with respect to separation of powers and checks and balances? (The videos we watched in class regarding the Constitutional Convention and the Yosemite school might be useful here and for other parts of this paper).

Please include in your discussion:

Differences between House and Senate

An example of a veto override

An example of a fillibuster

An example of Senate approval of a treaty

An example of Senate approval of a presidential appointee

(26%) Executive Branch

What can you tell me about the executive branch with respect to separation of powers and checks and balances?

Please include in your discussion:

The presidency:

An example of the president urging Congress to pass a certain law

An example of a presidential veto (it can be the same veto as in the override example, above)

An example of an executive order

The bureaucracy – (You can use information you used for your “Rooting for You” assignment when we studied the bureaucracy here).

Describe how the executive department/agency you selected carries out laws

Tell me again about the regulation you selected for your assigment and the reason for the regulation.

(26%) Judicial Branch

What can you tell me about the judicial branch with respect to separation of powers and checks and balances?

Please include in your discussion:

Why is the judicial branch considered the “least dangerous branch”?

Is an impartial judiciary important to democracy?

Refer back to your “classroom discussion” in our judicial branch module – named very creatively as “Paper #2 Focus: The Judicial Branch.”

Give an overview of the U.S. Supreme Court decision you selected for that assignment and how the U.S. Supreme Court resolved the conflict.

How does the judicial branch’s role with this law/case reflect what we have learned regarding separation of powers/checks and balances?

4. (About 2 % of your paper) Looking at what you have discussed in your paper – How effective are the three branches of government set up by the Constitution in dealing with contemporary problems? For example, what are some ways that our system of government is effective in addressing these issues? What are some ways that our system of government is not effective in addressing these issues? Can you suggest a better way?

5. (About 5%) Conclusion – summarize and conclude your paper.

6. Additional Details:

Your task is to write a concise, thoughtful paper that critically analyzes the above questions/points. (You must answer all questions/address all points.)

The focus of this paper will be on the depth of your analysis and the application of the concepts we are learning in this class to this assignment. Please provide substantive analysis and give examples to support your claims. You may use the above headings (or similar) in your final draft of your paper, if desired.

Please be sure to review the paper rubric on the online assignment page.

You must use the course materials in your analysis. Your paper should contain at least three quotes to our textbook and/or class materials (PowerPoints/lectures/online module pages).

You should use Chicago Style, MLA, or APA source citations. Please see this link for more information: https://libguides.mjc.edu/citeyoursourcesLinks to an external site.

Again: Wikipedia and Ballotpedia may be a resource, but they should not be cited as sources in your paper. Always find and cite the actual source, instead. Use of Wikipedia or Ballotpedia as a cited source will result in a 10 point deduction in your grade.

**THE TEXTBOOK WE ARE USING IN THIS CLASS IS: KEEPING THE REPUBLIC, POWER AND CITIZENSHIP IN AMERICAN POLITICS, NINTH BRIEF EDITION