The United States Constitution establishes three branches of government and empowers each branch to serve as a check and balance on the power of the other two. Thus, the executive branch can limit the actions of the legislative branch and the judiciary can limit the actions of both the executive and the legislative. The specific powers of each branch also attempt to establish a relatively clear line between the rule of law and politics. The judiciary represents the rule of law and the executive branch represents the political branch of government. The legislature operates as a space where the two meet. However, despite the attempt to draws a stark line between law and politics at the constitutional level, the fact that the rule of law is subject to interpretation means that political and ideological consideration and leanings will always color such interpretation. Still, the attempt, at least, of a line between law and politics provides the possibility that legal protections provided by the Constitution do not become entirely subject to political considerations.
The American Century Dictionary lists three definitions of the word ôpolitics.ö First, the Dictionary defines politics as the ôart and science of governmentö (445). This is the most original and simple definition of the word, and probably one that most people have forgotten. Yet it reminds us that as long as there is government, then there must be those who govern, and these people must be engaged in ôpolitics.ö Thus, there can be no government without politics. The second Dictionary definition is ôpolitical principles or practice,ö referring to the ideological or behavioral tendencies of those who govern. The third definition, however, is the one that has come to resonate the most with todayÆs electorate: ôactivities concerned with seeking power, statusö (445).
On the other hand, the Dictionary defines a ôlawö as a ôrule
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