WEBSITES

These websites are a great introduction to the issue of the separation of power and ways in which to understand it.

1. "Checks and Balances"

http://www.quia.com/rr/92742.html

This website is actually a quiz that tests one's knowledge of the powers held by each of the three branches of the government. It asks questions about all three branches and is in the format of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Its a great way to be introduced and to remember the roles of the branches of government.

Most importantly, this site forces one to think about the American system of government. If looking at the separation of powers is new, this site can give a lot of information about who can do what in government in a quick and entertaining way. Its a hard test for someone who does not know a lot about the branches and roles of them. Without this basic knowledge though, its really impossible to grasp the seriousness of checks and balances.

2. "Constitutional Topic: Checks and Balances"

http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_cnb.html

This site gives the basic outline of the checks and balances used by the United States Government. Its simple format is easy to follow and it goes through each branch, executive, legislative, and judicial, respectively, detailing each branches jobs in order to maintain the separation of power.

Again, for someone who is newly introduced to the issue of checks and balances, this site gives great information about how it works. That is, how it ideally works. Its important to know how the system is supposed to ideally work, or else there is no way to understand the issues of why it is not working.

3. "Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances"

http://www.checksbalances.org/

Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances is a site organized by citizens who fear that we are losing the checks and balances. These citizens are working to save the Constitution and to push Congress into taking action against the growing power of the presidency.

This site is all about what the citizen can do to help restore checks and balances. It goes through step by step why the separation of powers have failed and what that means for the ordinary citizen. It presents one with information about the issue of the separation of power and why it should be important to every citizen of the United States.