A 4 page discussion of the structure and function of our government and its three primary branches. The author provides examples of shared verses limited power. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Name of Research Paper File: AM2_PPgovSeg.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
The manner in which our government is structured is fascinating to say the least. It operates, of course, as a representative democracy.
In this form of government individuals are elected by their fellow citizens to serve in the passage of laws and other governmental matters. Our government operates in an arrangement
where legislative power is shared between state and federal government yet at the same time the premise of Separation of Powers is in play. These powers are separated between
the three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative branch of our government is an excellent example of shared power in the political system. That
branch is charged with the passage of laws. It in itself, however, is fragmented into two distinct units: the House of Representatives and the Senate. These two
congressional bodies share the responsibility of law formulation. The judicial branch is composed of the Supreme Court while the executive branch encompasses the office of the President of the
United States. While Congress passes laws, the executive division enforces those laws and the judicial division interprets them and reviews their Constitutional legality (Tannahill and Bedichek, 1991). This
is a second example of shared power. This system was established during the earliest years of our history as a nation.
James Madison, often called the "Father of the Constitution" (Stephenson, Bresler, Friedrich and Karlesky, 1992), said that the country needed a government strong enough to balance the interests of
the nation against strong local interests. He felt that a large nation with many diverse interests would be beneficial in countering a local dominating interest and insuring a policy