Civics

Note: All information and graphics below provided the State Department…

The Founding Fathers, the framers of the Constitution, wanted to form a government that did not allow one person to have too much authority or control. While under the rule of the British king they learned that this could be a bad system. Yet government under the Articles of Confederation taught them that there was a need for a strong centralized government.

With this in mind the framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, or three separate branches of government. Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time they work together to make the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed. This is done through checks and balances. A branch may use its powers to check the powers of the other two in order to maintain a balance of power among the three branches of government.

The Legislative Branch:

The legislative branch of government is made up of the Congress and government agencies, such as the Government Printing Office and Library of Congress, that provide assistance to and support services for the Congress. Article I of the Constitution established this branch and gave Congress the power to make laws. Congress has two parts, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Other Powers of Congress

* Makes laws controlling trade between states and between the United States and other countries.
* Makes laws about taxes and borrowing money.
* Approves the making of money.
* Can declare war on other countries.

Each Congress lasts for two years. When the two years are over, new Members of Congress are elected. We are currently in the 110th Congress. Congress meets once every year and usually last from January 3rd to July 31st, but in special cases, it can last longer.

The way that states are represented in the House and the Senate is different. Why is this? Well, when the Founding Fathers were drafting the Constitution, there were debates over how states would be represented. States with larger populations wanted more representation than states with smaller populations. Meanwhile, states with smaller populations favored equal representation. So, a compromise was made — Representation in the Senate would be equal, while representation in the House would be based on population.

The House
Each representative serves a term of 2 years. When the term is over, people from that state may choose to elect a new representative or keep the same one. There is no limit on the number of terms a representative can serve.

The House has special jobs that only it can do. It can:

* Start laws that make people pay taxes.
* Decide if a government official should be put on trial before the Senate if s/he commits a crime against the country.

The Senate
Each of the 50 states se
nds 2 people to the Senate, so there are a total of 100 senators. This means that each state has equal representation in the Senate. Each senator serves a term of 6 years. When their 6 year term is over, the people from that state may choose to elect a new senator or keep the same one. There is no limit on the number of terms a senator can serve.

The Senate has special jobs that only it can do. It can:

* Say yes or no to any treaties the president makes.
* Say yes or no to any people the president recommends for jobs, such as cabinet officers, Supreme Court justices, and ambassadors.
* Can hold a trial for a government official who does something very wrong.

Who Makes Laws?

National laws are made in Congress, which is part of the legislative branch and is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Congress can make laws on all kinds of matters, such as setting speed limits on highways or regulating how much radon may be found in drinking water. During each Congress, which lasts two years, senators and representatives introduce about 10,000 bills. During that time, about 650 bills are passed by Congress and then signed into law by the president.

The Executive Branch

The executive branch of Government makes sure that the laws of the United States are obeyed. The President of the United States is the head of the executive branch of government. This branch is very large so the President gets help from the Vice President, department heads (Cabinet members), and heads of independent agencies.

* President: Leader of the country and commands the military.
* Vice President: President of the Senate and becomes President if the President can no longer do the job.
* Departments (Cabinet): Department heads advise the President on issues and help carry out policies.
* Independent Agencies: Help carry out policy or provide special services.

The President:

The President is the head of the executive branch and plays a large role in making America’s laws. His job is to approve the laws that Congress creates. When the Senate and the House approve a bill, they send it to the President. If he agrees with the law, he signs it and the law goes into effect.

If the President does not like a bill, he can refuse to sign it. When he does this, it is called a veto. If the President vetoes a bill, it will most likely never become a law. Congress can override a veto, but to do so two-thirds of the Members of Congress must vote against the President.

Despite all of his power, the President cannot write bills. He can propose a bill, but a member of Congress must submit it for him.

The Cabinet:

The tradition of the Cabinet dates back to the beginnings of the Presidency itself. One of the principal purposes of the Cabinet (drawn from Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution) is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of their respective offices.

The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments-the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney General. Under President George W. Bush, Cabinet-level rank also has been accorded to the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency; Director, Office of Management and Budget; the Director, National Drug Control Policy; and the U.S. Trade Representative.

The Judicial Branch

The judicial branch of government is made up of the court system. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land. Article III of the Constitution established this Court and all other Federal courts were created by Congress. Courts decide arguments about the meaning of laws, how they are applied, and whether they break the rules of the Constitution.

On a side note; gathering this info and creating this post took less than 1.5 hours. If I can do this there is no excuse for anyone to be ignorant of how the government functions.


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