Government is the system of people who make decisions about how a society should be run. It can be at any level of a community and covers everything from forming effective policies to building civic amenities.
Most governments provide goods and services to their citizens, such as schools, police forces, and an infrastructure for transportation. They also manage a country’s economy and maintain public safety and security. In addition, many countries have their own type of constitution, which outlines the philosophy and values that guide a nation.
The three branches of government are legislative (Congress), executive, and judicial. Congress makes laws, the president enacts those laws and nominates the heads of federal agencies and high court appointees. The Supreme Court evaluates the constitutionality of these laws. This ability for each branch to respond to the actions of the other is called the system of checks and balances.
When a law is made, it begins as a document called a bill. A member of the House or Senate introduces a bill and then it goes to a group of members who research it, discuss it, and make changes before it is ready for the full House or Senate to vote on. If more than half of the members who vote approve it, the bill becomes a law.
Once a bill is approved by both houses of Congress, it is sent to the president for his or her approval. The president may sign the bill or refuse to do so, which is called a veto. If the president refuses to sign a bill, it is then possible for Congress to override his or her veto by passing the bill again in both chambers with at least two-thirds of each body voting in favor.
The executive branch of the United States government includes the president, vice president, and Cabinet members, as well as other federal agencies and boards, commissions, and committees. The president can veto legislation created by Congress and nominate new heads of government departments or other high-ranking officials. Congress can confirm or reject the president’s nominees and can remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.
The legislative branch of the United States government consists of the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as other federal agencies and offices that support Congress’s work. The Constitution assigns significant legislative powers to Congress, including the power to declare war, regulate interstate and foreign commerce, and control taxing and spending. It also enables the legislative branch to create and amend laws, as well as to establish the terms and conditions for elections to the executive and judicial branches of the federal government. In addition, the legislative branch has the authority to impose taxes and allocate funds for different purposes at the state and local levels. Those funds are then used to provide services to the people of the states, such as maintaining state colleges and universities, providing fire protection, and managing wildlife.