Limited Government Essay

1) Explain how each of the following limits the powers of the national executive. †¢ Federalism †¢ Checks and balances Federalism is a system where the governmental authority is divided between national and state government. As a result, federalism is always limiting the power of the national executive. Check and balances is another system where the governmental authority is divided between the three branches; the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. Every branch has the power to limit and control each other. Thus, none of the three branches can gain too much power or become tyrannical, including the executive. 2) Explain how each of the following two provisions in the Bill of Rights limits the powers of the national government. †¢ Establishment clause †¢ Guarantee of a public trial Establish clause is a provision that prevents the national government from favoring or establishing a national religion. The establishment clause states that there should always be a â€Å"separation wall† between the church and the government. The guarantee of a public trial limits the power of the national government while it makes all the trials open to the public. Therefore, the government has always to take care of the public opinion and to try to protect the rights of every citizen. 3) Choose one of the following and explain how it limits the power of state governments. †¢ Citizenship clause of the Fourteenth Amendment  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Selective incorporation The citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment guarantees the rights of citizenship. It states requirements of the national definition of citizenship, such as the birthright citizenship (which describes that all persons born in the United States are therefore citizens of the country) and it limits the power of the state government while it restricts it from violating those rights.