Specific Powers in Federal Government Vested by the U.S. Constitution - Coursework Example

Describe specific powers vested in the federal government by the U.S. constitution and assess why these powers were vested in the federal government. Introduction The United States consists of several states, and each of the states gets to be governed by a state government. More to this, the different states get united by a federal government, which possesses distinct power and authority, thus uniting the different states into a single government. Federal powers enhance the formation of a centralized government, which plays critical roles, such as promoting the security and stability of the different states. Though the constitution of the United States provides the federal government with a number of powers, it also denies it some other powers, which it grants to the states, and the American people. Consequent to this, the following discussion aims at highlighting the different powers vested in the federal government by the U.S. constitution. More to this, the discussion assesses the reasons for vesting such powers in the federal government, and not other powers. Powers vested in the federal government The constitution of the United States of America vests the power to make laws in the hands of the federal government. This concurs with the facts established in the declaration of independence, which state that an independent nation should be granted the power to make the laws that govern that nation. The constitution also empowers the federal government to declare war when necessary in order to safeguard the national rights of the country. The federal government also holds the responsibility of raising and maintaining an army and navy. This concurs with the responsibility of a national government to defend its people against any attack. Such a law cannot be charged to the states, as security requires centralized cooperation, thus making it an issue of national concern. More to these, the federal government enjoys the potential to impeach and try federal officers. Such impeachment ensures that the federal officers act in a responsible manner, and in accordance with national interests. The federal government holds the power to approve presidential appointments, to conduct oversights and investigations, and approve treaties that get negotiated by the executive branch. This ensures that the nation gets involved in foreign activities, which promote the welfare of the entire American society. More to these, the federal government develops a central leadership, which promotes greater coordination and cooperation of the different states. The power to raise, as well as, to provide public money is vested in the federal government. This follows the responsibility of a free government to establish and promote commercial activities in the nation, thus strengthening the development of the United States. The federal government also regulates interstate and international trade in the nation. Such power promotes economic cooperation in the nation as opposed to the Articles of confederation, which led to economic disorganization. The disorganization resulted from the different states operating independently, leading to the lack of a systematic commercial system. Such cooperation enhances the economic stability of the nation, thus ensuring increasing its capacity to handle debts, and other national obligations. Additionally, the government gets to oversee the spending of the money, thus promoting proper use of such expenditure. This controls misuse of public funds, and other resources, thus ensuring that the nation is safeguarded from misappropriations. Powers not vested in the federal government The constitution of the United States accords the different states some powers that govern their conduct. These powers relate to the intrastate operations, which highlight how every state gets to be governed. More to these, the people of America also possess power, hence ensuring that the nation maintains a balance of power. Reasons for vesting power in the federal government The articles of confederation This was the first constitution that the American people used after gaining independence from Great Britain. Given the different states in the United Sates, a national government that unites the different states into a single nation plays a paramount contribution of ensuring national unity, as well as national power. More to this, the Articles of confederation, that was in effect between 1776 and 1783, advocated for a league of friendship among the different states. The aim of the friendship pertained to enhancing a common ground in matters related to defense, security of the liberties of the people of America, as well as their well-being. According to the Articles of confederation, the union amongst the states binds them to each other against attacks made on them. The attacks cover diverse areas, such as, religion, sovereignty, and even trade. Consequent to such proposals the vesting of powers in the federal government equips the national government to carry out such activities for the benefit of all the American states. The American Constitution This was adopted after the nation realized the many defects of the Articles of confederation. It proposes the division of power between the federal and state governments in the United States. The federal laws play a supreme role in the nation compared to the state laws according to the constitution. This emanates from the agreements among the different states to give up their independence partially, leading to the development of a central authority. Consequent to these, the federal government gets to be vested with powers that promote its ability to establish a centralized form of government among the states. The need for checks and balances Following the need for national power restriction of powers among the various states plays an essential role in ensuring that the national government gets the capacity to form a national economy. Therefore, national laws get regarded as superior to state laws, leading to the creation of a powerful federal government in the United States. However, the ability to abuse the powers vested in the national government compels the nation to provide certain checks and balances to avoid misuse of the power (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert & Spitzer 45). Therefore, the constitution provides for such aspects as federalism and the separation of powers to ensure that the national government does not use the power vested in it arbitrarily. The principle of separation of powers Separation of powers dates back to as early as 1787, and it advocates for the use of power to balance power, thus guarding against tyranny (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert & Spitzer 45). This principle stands in direct contrast of the system in Britain, the colonial masters of the America. The constitution of the United States affects this principle through the creation of three Articles. This includes the legislature as Article I, The Executive as Article II, and the Judiciary as Article III (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert & Spitzer 45). The three get distinct powers from each other, as well as, some power over the other two. Such a structure promotes transparency in the government, and accountability forms a central role in the operations of the three branches. This leads to control of the nation, which ensures that the different branches do not abuse their powers, but instead support the development of a stable national government. Separation of powers indeed leads to the division of power in America. The principle allows the American people to exercise substantial power, thus guarding the nation from excessive control by a minority of the population. The aspect also allows experts to take charge of running the nation, thus ensuring that the nation balances its operations. The principle of federalism This principle advocates for vesting a substantial amount of powers in the federal government, and ensuring that the national powers do not undermine the power vested in the states (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert & Spitzer 46). Consequently, federalism constitutes the prevalence of two sovereignties, which relate to the statutory powers and the national powers. Federalism was introduced in the United States out of the notion that the competition developed between the two institutions would limit either power in an effective manner. The tenth amendment to the constitution further elaborates on the concept of federalism. It seeks to identify the relationship of the two sovereign powers, given their different interests. The amendment clarifies that the those powers that the constitution does not delegate to the United States, and which it does not prohibit to the states should be reserved for the states, or the people of the Unites states. This continues to show the importance of having an outline of the powers vested in the federal government, and the powers vested in the states. The clear expression of the federal powers safeguards the interests of the states, thus the American population as the national government gets involved in the affairs of the people to a limited degree. Conclusion In conclusion, the federal government of the United States bears a number of powers vested on it by the constitution. This includes the establishment and maintenance of an army and navy. Such power allows the federal government to form a central body that provides the several states with security from any attack. More to this, the federal government holds the power to regulate interstate and international trade, which harmonizes commerce in the nation. Such harmony promotes economic prosperity as opposed to when such power rests in individual states. The spirit of federalism also explains the reasons owing to the separation of powers, between the national government, as well as the state governments. Works Cited Ginsberg, Benjamin, Lowi, Theodore, Weir, Margaret, Tolbert, Caroline & Spitzer, Robert. We the People: An Introduction to American Politics. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. (2013). Read More