Opinion Paper

The Constitution of the United States of America was written as a guideline to move

along our great nation. In this writing, there are a series of checks that allow Congress and the

president to keep each other in line. They serve to protect our nation from corruption and keep all

three branches of our government equal.

The ability to check the powers of the president and keep him in line is a right of our

nation’s Congress. Our Constitution states many rules that the President of the United States

must respect and abide by. For example, Article II of the Constitution states that the president

must be 35 years of age (U.S. Const. Art. II, § 1). When the president comes to a point of

judgement, the Congress is looked upon. If a president is in danger of impeachment, Article I

Section 2 states, “The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and

shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” (U.S. Const. Art. I, § 2). It falls upon the House of

Representatives and the Senate to determine whether or not an impeachment should occur.

Another way in which Congress is able to keep the president in check is through the process of

passing a law. A bill begins with the House of Representatives and if it passes in two houses, it

will be sent to the president. The president has ten days to either sign his approval, or object with

a list of problems and send it back for reconsideration. Even if the president does not approve

and it is sent back, the law can be passed, “if two-thirds of the members of the House and Senate

vote for it.” (The Constitution in Everyday English, 2008, p.2) This ability is the reason why I

believe that the Legislative Branch is stronger than the Executive Branch. Although, the law

approval process is actually a method that allows the president to keep Congress in check as

well.
 The process of passing a law can assist the president in keeping Congress on the right

track. As I previously stated, a law must be sent to the president before it can be passed. If the

president objects and sends it back to the House of Representatives with his notes, it is likely that

the bill will have a much harder time becoming a law. In this situation, Congress will see that the

President was not on board and will likely change their minds or revise the bill before it is

passed. Another way that the president is able to check Congress is by adjourning congress

during cases of disagreements. Article II Section 3 of the Constitution states, “he may, on

extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement

between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as

he shall think proper” (U.S. Const. Art. II, § 3). This is a critical power of the president because

he is able to work past disputes between both houses in order to carry out duties in a timely

manner. In situations of dire need, he can direct both sides into an agreement, and dismiss them

until further notice if they cannot agree.

In summary, Congress and the president are two entities that keep our Nation running.

Without one another, one branch might fall out of line or become too powerful. The Constitution

provides checks which Congress and the president can use to keep each other in check.
 References

The Constitution in Everyday English​. (2008). Retrieved July 12, 2018, from

http://docplayer.net/21476141-The-constitution-in-plain-english.html

The Constitution of the United States of America​. Retrieved July 12, 2018, from

file:///Users/kellymurray/Downloads/The%20Constitution%20(1).pdf