Spalding traces the roots of American progressives to German thinkers who believed in the "Administrative State." Here, government is controlled by administrators and "experts," rather than officials elected to represent the people. Spalding also notes that the Founders and the progressives differed in their view of the Constitution. Progressives believed in a "...
Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
Some people describe Checks and Balances as a cursory "sharing of powers." While it is certainly true that the executive, legislative, and judicial branches share the duties of government, this only describes half of the concept. Indeed, as this diagram illustrates, the arms of government all serve as watchmen of the other branches. For instance, the Supreme Court can declare laws passed by the legislature "unconstitutional," and Congress can impeach and remove the president from office, given it has the proper number of votes.
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