What was the intention of the framers for checks and balances at the state level?
A. State governments would check the power of the national government by passing laws regarding state matters.
B. State representatives in the House would check the power of their respective governors.
C. State courts would check the power of the Supreme Court in the complex appeals process
D. States had no part in the separation of powers because they were viewed as weaker than the national government
*I'm split between A or B.
What was the intention of the Framers for checks and balances at the state level?
answer: A.) State governments would check the power of the national government by passing laws regarding state matters
The teacher's response XD
To determine the intention of the framers for checks and balances at the state level, we can analyze the options provided.
Option A suggests that state governments would check the power of the national government by passing laws regarding state matters. This aligns with the concept of federalism, which involves the division of powers between the national and state governments. The framers intended for the states to have some degree of autonomy in regulating their own affairs and preventing the national government from becoming too powerful. This option seems to be consistent with the framers' intention for checks and balances at the state level.
Option B implies that state representatives in the House would check the power of their respective governors. While it is true that the framers implemented a system of checks and balances at the federal level, where different branches of government would keep each other in check, this option specifically refers to the state level. At the state level, the governor is the head of the executive branch, while the state representatives make up the legislative branch. The intent of the framers was mainly focused on the relationship between the national and state governments, so it is less likely that they intended for state representatives to have a direct checking role over governors. Therefore, this option is less likely to be the intended purpose of checks and balances at the state level.
Option C suggests that state courts would check the power of the Supreme Court in the complex appeals process. While there is a system of appeals that allows cases to move up from lower courts to higher courts, including the Supreme Court, the intention of this process is not specifically related to checks and balances at the state level. Rather, the appeals process serves to ensure fair and impartial decisions, to correct errors made by lower courts, and to establish legal precedent. So, this option does not directly correspond to the intention of checks and balances at the state level.
Option D proposes that states had no part in the separation of powers because they were viewed as weaker than the national government. This option contradicts the principles of federalism and the framers' intention to establish a system of checks and balances. The framers sought to strike a balance between the powers of the national government and the states, recognizing that both levels of government hold significant roles in governing the country. Therefore, this option is not aligned with the framers' intention.
Based on our analysis, option A, stating that state governments would check the power of the national government by passing laws regarding state matters, aligns most closely with the framers' intention for checks and balances at the state level.
Please go back and read your text. Or, better yet, go back and read the constitution, including at least the first ten amendments.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution