The Separation of Powers in the United States - Essay Example

Homework 9
Control is necessary for ensuring that government agencies and officials do not exercise arbitrary authority. In the United States, separation of powers and federalism exist to ensure this. This identifies power centers whose interaction effects have consequences on governance and this paper discusses the existence of the power centers and inefficient political systems and the effects of separation of power on democracy.

Reasons for the existence of separation of powers and federalism, and inefficient political system
The main reason for the existence of the doctrine of separation of powers in the United States’ governance, and in other territories is to ensure checks and balances on the authorities and roles of each government branch and government officials in those branches. Separation of power identifies three power centers that are necessary for offering checks and balances on each other. The branches are the Congress, the executive, and the Judiciary. The President heads the executive whose roles, besides primary roles, are to offer checks and balances on the judiciary and the Congress. Congress is the law-making body in the nation and the president has the duty to assent to made laws before they can become effective and veto laws that may be repugnant to natural justice and this ensures that only rational laws that Congress enact govern the people. The president also plays an important role in the appointment of judges by nominating them and this ensures good conduct in the judiciary. The Judiciary is also necessary because of its checks on both the executive and the Congress. Like the executive, it can declare legislation unconstitutional and therefore render it invalid and this ensures that Congress does not just make arbitrary laws. The Judiciary can also declare actions and decisions of the executive unconstitutional to minimize arbitrary authority. The congress is also necessary because of its regulatory powers over the executive such as disapproving a bill that the president prefers, passing a law contrary to the president’s veto, impeaching the president, and refusing to approve the president’s recommendations that are subject to the Congress’ approval. In addition, congress is necessary for its checks over the courts such as the impeachment of judges for misconduct, refusing to approve the appointment of a judge, and varying jurisdiction of a judge. Federalism is also necessary for checks and balances by the federal and state governments on each other (Wilson, Dilulio, and Bose 31).

The nation has an inefficient political system because of the mode of appointment to the political offices. Unlike the judiciary in which officials are appointed based, majorly on professional qualifications, political leaders are elected on majority votes and this makes them liable to demands and opinions of voters and political party ideologies as opposed to required professionalism in their roles. Consequently, a decision may be made, in the political system, to meet political goals and not to solve social problems.

Consequently, separation of powers and federalism are necessary to the nation’s governance for ensuring checks and balances that facilitate democracy. The doctrines are also important in regulating the political system that is susceptible to inefficiencies.