Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The term "tripartite system" is commonly ascribed to French Enlightenment political philosopher Montesquieu, although he did not use such a term but referred to the "distribution" of powers. In The Spirit of Law (1748), [ 17 ] Montesquieu described the various forms of distribution of political power among a legislature , an executive , and a ...
Concurrent powers makes it so that both federal and state governments can create laws, deal with environmental protection, maintain national parks and prisons, and provide a police force. The judicial branch of government holds powers as well. They have the ability to use express and concurrent powers to make laws and establish regulations.
Every state except for Nebraska has a bicameral legislature, meaning it comprises two chambers. The unicameral Nebraska Legislature is commonly called the "Senate", and its members are officially called "Senators". In the majority of states (26), the state legislature is simply called "Legislature".
Although the term "Secretary" is usually used to name the most senior official of a government department, some departments have different titles to name such officials. For instance, the Department of Justice uses the term "Attorney General" instead of "Justice Secretary", but the Attorney General is nonetheless a cabinet-level position.
The Guarantee Clause of Article 4 of the Constitution states that "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government." These two provisions indicate states did not surrender their wide latitude to adopt a constitution, the fundamental documents of state law , when the U.S. Constitution was adopted.
Article V outlines the process for amending the Constitution. Eight state constitutions in effect in 1787 included an amendment mechanism. Amendment-making power rested with the legislature in three of the states, and in the other five it was given to specially elected conventions.
The long-term trend has been towards increasing secularization of the government. [66] The remaining state churches were disestablished in 1820 and teacher-led public school prayer was abolished in 1962, but the military chaplaincy remains to the present day. [66] Notable cases include Tennessee v. Scopes, Engel v. Vitale, Abington School ...
A constitutional institution, constitutional body or constitutional organ is a government institution created by a constitution.As these institutions derives its powers, duties and responsibilities directly from the constitution, which is harder to be amended by legislature compared to sub-constitutional laws, their status is rather more stable and independent than institutions created by sub ...