Which principle is described by checks and balances in the U.S. Constitution?

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Checks and balances keep any one branch from gaining too much power by distributing authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches and giving each the ability to limit the others. The system creates overlapping powers: Congress writes laws, but the president can veto them; Congress can override a veto with enough votes; the president can appoint federal judges, subject to Senate confirmation; and the courts can strike down laws or executive actions that violate the Constitution. Judges also enjoy lifetime tenure, supporting independent judgment. This arrangement means no single branch can dominate.

The idea that the executive holds supreme authority isn’t consistent with how power is shared. State sovereignty is preserved under federalism, so states have their own powers rather than being powerless to the federal government. And judges aren’t elected by the people for federal courts; they’re appointed and confirmed, not elected.