US Government

The United States is a federal constitutional republic.

What does that mean?!?!...Let’s break it down...

Constitutional Republic: government leaders are representatives of people and must follow all of the current laws in the constitution, which limits the government’s power. The Constitution is very difficult to change, or to “amend”. 

Federal: a group of members put together by an agreement with a governing head representative.

So, who is the head of the members?! The Federal Government! 

This is divided into three parts, or ‘branches’...

1. The Executive Branch: The President! the commander-in-chief of the military, can veto legislative bills before they become law, and chooses the members of the Cabinet (the Senate must approve) and other officers, who enforce federal laws and policies.

1. The Legislative Branch: makes federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse ($), and has the power of impeachment (remove members of the government).

1. The Senate (Upper House): every State has 2 Senators; each Senator is in office for 6 years; the Senate has more power than the House of Representatives.
2. The House of Representatives (Lower House): the number of Representatives a State has, depends on the population of a State (Ex: California has 53/Kansas has 4); each Representative is in office for 2 years. 

1. The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court! (and lower federal courts) 9 Justices (judges) are appointed by the president with Senate approval, interpret laws and take away those they find unconstitutional. Once you are a Supreme Court Justice, you are a Supreme Court Justice for LIFE. The Legislative Branch still has power to remove Justices if they do something wrong. 

So, who are the members?! The States! Each State also has its own government.

WHY?! States can decide on their own laws for topics which are not discussed in the Constitution. 

The 10th Amendment: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

All of the States are protected from the Federal Government by the Constitution. This allows the people of each State to make their State government the way that they want it. What’s the result? Each State may have its own laws about issues such as: gun control, death penalty, punishment, etc...

Important Current Leaders in Office (Feb. 2012):

President Obama (Democrat)

Vice President and President of the Senate Biden (Democrat)

Speaker of the House Boehner (Republican)