1. I do agree with Hamilton that the judicial branch is the weakest branch. It is dependent on the executive branch, and it only has the power to review rather than execute laws and decisions, unlike the other branches of government. I think that Hamilton was careful when pointing this out because the judicial branch was new and he did not want to reduce the peoples’ trust in it.
2. The theme from Tuesday’s lecture and the reading for this week is checks and balances. This has to do with a balance of power in the government and the ability to check a branch’s power to prevent tyranny. Trump’s power was checked when it was declared that denying funding for sanctuary cities was unconstitutional. Although the President is the leader of our country, he/she does not have absolute power over the government. Another example of a federal judge blocking a president’s action is when a federal judge in Texas blocked President Obama’s executive action on immigration.
3. Independence and accountability are both crucial for balance because independence gives the court power allows them to make decisions that are best for the country, and accountability is crucial in order for the people to be able to maintain trust in the government. Right now, I believe that the court leads more toward accountability then independence, because there are a lot of decisions being made based on personal bias and agendas.