Question

unit 3b: government and economic

1. a president signs a law that limits free speech. which branch could stop this law from taking effect?

a. legislative
b. executive
c. judicial
d. state governments

1. if congress passes a law but the president disagrees, what can the president do?

a. declare it unconstitutional
b. ignore it
c. veto it
d. rewrite it

1. why might it be dangerous if there were no checks and balances?

a. the government would be too slow
b. citizens would have too much power
c. one branch could control the government completely
d. the constitution would not exist

1. which example shows how the separation of powers promotes cooperation among branches?

a. the president is enforcing a law created by congress
b. the supreme court writes new laws
c. congress enforcing a law
d. the president creates new laws without congress

1. imagine the judicial branch stops enforcing laws and begins creating them. what problem would this cause?

a. the executive branch would lose authority
b. the balance of power would be broken
c. congress would gain more power
d. the government would run more smoothly

Explanation:

1. The judicial branch has the power of judicial review. It can declare laws unconstitutional. So if a president signs a law that limits free - speech (which may be unconstitutional), the judicial branch (C) could stop the law.
2. The president has the power to veto a law passed by Congress. If Congress passes a law and the president disagrees, the president can veto it (C). Declaring a law unconstitutional is the power of the judicial branch (A is wrong). Ignoring a law is not a proper constitutional action (B is wrong), and the president cannot rewrite a law passed by Congress on their own (D is wrong).
3. Checks and balances prevent any one branch of government from having too much power. Without checks and balances, one branch could control the government completely (C). The government being too slow (A) is not the main danger. Citizens do not have the power to control the government in the same way as branches (B is wrong), and the Constitution would still exist but its principles of power - sharing would be violated (D is wrong).
4. The separation of powers means each branch has its own function. The president (executive) enforcing a law created by Congress (legislative) shows cooperation. The Supreme Court does not write new laws (B is wrong, that's the legislative branch). Congress does not enforce laws (C is wrong, that's the executive branch). The president cannot create new laws without Congress (D is wrong, that's against the separation of powers).
5. Each branch has its own role. The judicial branch's role is to interpret laws, not create them. If it starts creating laws (a legislative function), the balance of power (each branch having distinct powers) would be broken (B). The executive branch's authority is related to enforcement, not directly to the judicial branch creating laws (A is wrong). Congress would not gain more power in this scenario (C is wrong), and the government would not run more smoothly as the system of separated powers is disrupted (D is wrong).

Answer:

1. C. Judicial
2. C. Veto it
3. C. One branch could control the government completely
4. A. The president is enforcing a law created by Congress
5. B. The balance of power would be broken