ARTICLES

The following three articles are all helpful in broadening one's understanding of the Separation of Powers issue in the United States.

1. "Checks and Balances," Paul C. Bartholomew

http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0088940-00&templatename=/article/article.html

This article, from The American Presidency, by Paul C. Bartholomew, discusses system of checks and balances in United States government. It starts with the definition, gives the theory behind it, and a explanation of how it is utilized in U.S. government, as defined in the United States Constitution.
This is an excellent source to look at when trying to better understand exactly what the separation of powers, or the checks and balances, of the United States government are. It is basic information that can be built upon, but without this basic knowledge, it is difficult to understand the issues surrounding the separtion of powers today and throughout history.

2. "Lincoln's Crackdown," by David Greenberg

http://slate.com/id/2059132/

In 2001, right after the attacks of September 11, President Bush took strong measures to ensure that terrorists in the United States were caught. In this, he suspended civil liberties and some critics believed he overstepped his boundaries as president, and went unchecked by both the legislative and judicial branches. President Lincoln, at the onset of the Civil War also suspended civil liberties and the actions of both presidents are often compared. This article discusses how the suspension of civil liberties was a blemish on Lincoln's record and will also be one on Bush's.

This is an interesting article to look at, especially since it was written in November of 2001. It is a critical look at what happens when a branch of government, namely the executive, oversteps its boundaries and history's reaction to it. The author, David Greenberg, takes a negative approach to the actions of both Lincoln and Bush. The article gives the reader a more historical look at the issue of the separation of power and how it is looked at today.

3. "Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties in Wartime," by Honorable Frank J. Williams
http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/hl834.cfm

This article, written in 2004, takes the opposing view as the previous article, comparing the actions of Lincoln and Bush as correct and necessary to protect the safety of the U.S. government. The author, Honorable Frank Williams, Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice, focuses on the actions of Lincoln and Bush as necessary and not unconstitutional actions that did not overstep the checks and balances of the U.S. Constitution.

This article is important because it gives the opposing view of Greenberg and his interpretation of the constitutionality of both presidents' actions. This gives the viewer a more balanced view and a look at how others interpret the Constitution and the complexity of the issue of the separation of power.