Issue: Separation of Powers and Federalism
The Framers believed that dividing power was the surest way to protect individual liberty and check against governmental excesses. ACS focuses on the constitutional and policy questions raised by our divided governmental structure, whether vertical in the case of the federal and state governments, or horizontal in the case of the three branches of the federal government. This includes exploration of questions regarding executive power, legislative power, judicial independence, and preemption, among others.