Tipping the Scale in Government

The Separation of Powers devised by the framers of the Constitution was designed to do an important thing: to prevent the majority from ruling with an iron fist. Based on their experience, the framers shied away from giving any branch of the new government too much power. The separation of powers provides a system of shared power known as Checks and Balances.

Three branches are created in the Constitution. The Legislative Branch, composed of the House and Senate, is set up in Article 1. The Executive Branch, composed of the President, Vice-President, and the Federal…