The Supreme Court's role in checks and balances

¶ … Balances - Supreme Court

The phrase "checks and balances" refers to the built-in restraints that each of the three branches has on the other branches. The Legislative Branch has the power to impeach the members of the Executive, can select the President and Vice President if there is no clear majority, can override the Presidential veto, approve departmental appointments, approves the appointment of federal judges, initiate constitutional amendments, and establish courts inferior to the Supreme Courts and establish their jurisdictions. It uses its appointment approval power the most. The Executive Branch has veto power, the Vice President is the President of the Senate, can call Congress into session, appoints judges, and has the power of the pardon. The Executive uses the Presidential veto. The judicial branch has the ability to judicially review legislation, and the Chief Justice sits as President of the Senate during presidential impeachments. The judiciary uses its power of judicial review the most. (Mount, 2006).

2. Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Clinton and seated on August 10, 1993. (United States Supreme Court, 2008). Ginsburg's political bent is clear when one looks at her employment history; she was instrumental in launching the Women's Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, and served as the ACLU's General Counsel and on its National Board of Directors. (United States Supreme Court, 2008). It is impossible to completely determine why a president choices a Supreme Court nominee. However, it seems likely that Ginsburg's feminist history had something to do with his choice. She was one of the first females to attend Harvard Law School, where she struggled for acceptance as a woman. She was instrumental in forwarding women's rights, not only when with the ACLU, but also in other aspects of her professional life. "While leaning towards the liberal side of the Court's political spectrum, Ginsburg has not hesitated to vote with her conservative colleagues...There is little doubt that Ginsburg's position on women's rights, and civil liberties in general, will play an important role in many controversial issues to come." (Oyez, 2008).