House of Representatives and the Executive: Power Dynamics Examined

This report delves into the intricate relationship between the House of Representatives and the Executive Branch of the United States government, focusing on the Constitutional framework that governs their interactions. It explores the principle of checks and balances, emphasizing how the House of Representatives can hold the Executive accountable for its actions. Drawing upon the concept of responsible government, the report highlights the Legislature's right to oversee the Executive's activities, ensuring that power is not misused. The report references the Constitution, its amendments, and relevant literature to support its arguments, ultimately illustrating how the House of Representatives operates within its Constitutional rights to maintain a balance of power.

Running head: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE EXECUTIVE
House of Representatives and the Executives
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1HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE EXECUTIVE
This paper talks in brief about the legitimacy of the House of Representatives, making
the Executive Branch of the United States government answerable to it, and why is such an
eventuality permissible within the Constitutional framework.
Although the United States Constitution establishes a separation of powers between
the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of the government, the Constitution also
provides for a series of checks and balances for each branch of the government (Judson,
2013). This provision means that although neither Congress can have executive power, nor
the President could possess legislative powers, t is still possible for Congress and the
Presidency to oversee each other’s activities in order to prevent either of the branches from
amassing too much power into their hands. Hence, in order to reign in the powers of the
Executive and to keep it in check, the House of Representatives is using a valid
Constitutional principle to make the President answerable for its activities and actions.
The checks and balances principle as enshrined in the provisions of the United States
Constitution is derived from the notion of responsible government, an idea which took shape
in the constitutional history of the British Parliament. The principle signifies that the
Executive cannot exercise their powers without being responsible or answerable to the
elected representatives of the people (Summers, 2013). Hence, the Legislature has the right to
reasonably restrict the powers and rights of the Executive if the latter begins to act arbitrarily,
without seeking consent from the former. Hence, the checks and balances principle is an
Americanized version of the responsible government formula.
Hence, based upon these Constitutional provisions that have been established by
relevant articles, clauses and amendments, the House of Representatives is well within its
rights and abilities to make the Executive answerable to it.

2HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE EXECUTIVE
References
Judson, K. (2013). The Constitution of the United States: Its History, Bill of Rights, and
Amendments. Enslow.
Summers, J. (2013). Parliament and responsible government. Government Politics in
Australia, 33.