What Do Cabinet Members Do?
The U.S. Cabinet consists of members of the executive branch of the United States government, responsible for advising the President on key areas that are important to the country and overseeing the...
View ArticleJob Descriptions for Presidential Cabinet Members
The United States cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of 15 departments. Cabinet members advise the president on issues relating to their departments.
View ArticleWhat Is a Collective Agreement?
Collective agreements are commonly used between companies and the unions that represent their employees. They are the product of negotiations on wages, benefits, work hours and more. Collective...
View ArticleThe Importance of Roe Vs. Wade
The first anti-abortion laws in the United States appeared in the 1820s. By 1965, abortion was banned in all 50 states, with few exceptions--some states allowed abortion in cases of rape or incest or...
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What Are the Duties of the Executive Branch?
The executive branch in the United States is led by the president and also includes the vice president, Cabinet members and heads of selected agencies. As of 2009, the leader of the executive branch is...
View ArticleThe Child Protection & Toy Safety Act
Congress passed the Child Safety Protection Act (CSPA) in 1994 as a regulatory system monitoring products and toys intended for children at least 3 years of age.
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What are the Success Rates of Drug & Alcohol Inpatient Treatment Facilities?
Inpatient treatment facilities offer help for patients suffering from severe addiction to drugs and alcohol. These facilities generally offer 30-day therapy to help patients recover from the addiction...
View ArticleWhat Are the Benefits of Checks & Balances?
Checks and balances is a political term that relates to the separation of powers amongst the branches or divisions of government. The best view of checks and balances is found in the U.S. Constitution,...
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Purpose of Program Evaluations
Program evaluations investigate the design and effect of social programs. They also assess delivery of services and the efficiency of the programs. Program evaluators investigate programs using the...
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What Are the Checks Placed on the President?
Embedded in the Constitution of the United States are a series of checks and balances designed to keep any of the three branches of the federal government from becoming too powerful and potentially...
View ArticleSocial Security Retirement Age History
Social Security has gone through many changes since its inception in the 1930s, allowing for inflation and disability benefits; however, laws defining the normal retirement age were not changed until...
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What Does INS Stand for in Immigration?
INS stands for Immigration and Naturalization Service. When the agency was dissolved in 2003, its immigration responsibilities were divided among other governmental agencies.
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What Is the Purpose of the Department of Homeland Security?
The Department of Homeland Security protects American citizens by working with local and national law enforcement agencies to find and eradicate threats to American peace and prosperity.
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What Are the Basic Characteristics of Federalism?
Federalism is the sharing of governmental power between national, state, local governments. In the U.S. there is one national government but 50 state governments and more than 85,000 local governments.
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The Understanding of the Separation of Checks & Balances
The separation of powers, also known as the system of checks and balances, is a system of government that exists in the United States and was designed and codified into law by the Constitution of the...
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Why Do Government Officials Use the Media?
Government officials and politicians often have a love-hate relationship with the media. Officials rely on the media to help them communicate to the public and build support for candidacies and...
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Progressive Vs. Liberal
The meanings of political terminology and labels often shift with the passage of time. In the United States, the definition of political identities and outlooks such as "liberal" and "progressive" can...
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What Is the Chain of Command of the United States Government?
The chain of command of the United States government should really be called the chains of command. As students are taught from elementary school on, the U.S. government is broken into three branches:...
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Why Is Immigration Bad for the U.S.?
Historically, the United States has had the most open immigration policy in the world. Though the country's open-door policy continues to reap dividends in areas such as cultural diversity, market...
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What Was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
The U.S. Constitution, like most government documents, was the result of a series of political compromises made to ensure passage. One of the most controversial was the so-called Three-Fifths...
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Why Is a Donkey the Democratic Symbol?
Although the Democratic Party in the United States has never officially adopted the donkey as its symbol, political cartoonists have associated Democrats with the donkey since the mid-19th century....
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Facts on the Capital Building
The United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C. is one of the most recognizable buildings in America. It also has a long and interesting history.
View ArticleDisadvantages of Renouncing U.S. Citizenship
Renouncing U.S. citizenship can have several disadvantages. Someone who renounces his U.S. citizenship is no longer entitled to any of the privileges that US citizens enjoy. Additionally, he may or may...
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How to Become a Representative or Senator
Members of Congress play a vital role in the U.S. government, by introducing new legislation and debating and voting on important issues ranging from the economy to the environment. Theoretically, any...
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How to Find Political Contributions
A citizen needs to know who supports a candidate, and the contribution amounts, to truly know the candidate. Political backing is a fact a diligent citizen does not ignore. With campaign finance laws,...
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What Are Examples of Checks & Balances?
In an effort to prevent the United States from descending into totalitarianism, the framers of the Constitution granted each of the branches of government -- executive, legislative and judicial --...
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Job Description of a Legislative Aide
According to the C-SPAN congressional glossary, a legislative assistant "is the staff person who advises a member of Congress on legislative issues." This person's job description however, indicates...
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What Is the Secular Progressive Movement?
The Secular-Progressive Movement, often abbreviated S-P or SP, was coined by political pundit Bill O'Reilly and explored in his 2006 book "Culture Warrior." O'Reilly claims the movement wants to model...
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List of Political Vocabulary in English
Politics has its own language that must be understood before you can begin to engage in intelligent discourse. The language of politics can be confusing to those who are just beginning to speak...
View ArticleDefinition of "OFAC"
"OFAC" is an acronym for the Office of Foreign Assets Control. It is an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury, which administers and enforces the United States' economic and trade...
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What Is the Principle of Separation of Power?
Separation of power (or powers) describes the distribution of the executive, judicial and legislative responsibilities of a government among separate and distinct branches. The framers of the U.S....
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How to Write Letters to Your Local Government
Anyone can write a letter to their local government. To make sure that it gets to the right person, though, it is important to know the correct government agency to send it to. In a large city, there...
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Commerce Secretary Duties
The Commerce Secretary is the highest ranking U.S. government official charged with overseeing and formulating policy concerning foreign and domestic industry and business affairs. The U.S. Commerce...
View ArticleWhat Is a Power Conflict?
It is human nature for an individual to crave power; with it, he is more likely to get what he wants. Conflict between people usually arises from power struggle. This battle for influence and...
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USDA Responsibilities
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a federal agency responsible for several aspects of farming and forestry in the United States. Abraham Lincoln created the USDA in 1862 as a way to...
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How to Find My State & Local Government Representatives
You have a question about your representative's position on a key issue, or you want to complain to your county assessor about your latest house valuation. Whether you want contact information for a...
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What Are the Benefits of Open Borders?
The debate over immigration and whether the United States should keep its borders open is one of the most divisive issues of the current political climate. While there are a number of negatives that...
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Laws About Flying the U.S. Flag
The flag of the United States is probably the most recognized symbol of patriotism and honor throughout the country. Displayed by government buildings, the military and civilians in their own homes,...
View ArticlePurpose of Defense Department
The United States Department of Defense--often abbreviated as the DoD--is the U.S. federal department that oversees the country’s national security and armed forces. It is led by the Secretary of...
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Basic Duties of the Judicial Branch
America's founding fathers designed the United States' system of government with the intent of building conflict into it. They created three branches--executive, legislative and judicial. A system of...
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What Is the Judicial System?
The Judicial Branch of American government is the third of the three co-equal branches. The Supreme Court of the United States is vested with federal judiciary power in Article III of the Constitution....
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Stages of Criminal Justice
Criminal justice in the United States is a process consisting of five distinct stages. Any understanding of the criminal justice system requires at least a general understanding of the associated stages.
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What Are Three Qualifications to Be a Representative?
The United States House of Representatives is comprised of 435 members of the House, sometimes called "Congressmen," as of 2010. Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution lists three...
View ArticleDo You Have to Respond to the U.S. Census?
Every ten years, the United States Census Bureau conducts the U.S. Census. This census is important to the government because they are attempting to get an accurate count of the entire population. This...
View ArticlePros & Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Embryonic stem cell research is one of the most politically and ethically charged debates in the U.S.. The most outspoken anti-embryonic stem cell research groups say that stem cell research is...
View ArticlePros & Cons of Police Discretion
Because laws are narrowly crafted and will not fit every situation, police officers must often use discretion. Not surprisingly, the degree of discretion that officers exercise has been subject to...
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What Kind of Cars Do Government Officials Drive?
Government officials drive many different types of cars, depending upon their position within the government. Almost invariably, government cars are manufactured in the United States, and recent...
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Obama's Plan for Health Insurance for Small Businesses
Small business accounts for a significant portion of jobs and job growth in the U.S. economy. Unfortunately, the existing health insurance system prices many small employers out of the market, leaving...
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Benefits of a Free Health Care System
The ongoing debate about the current private health care system in America has led many to look for alternatives. Universal health care is a system that has found success in Canada and several other...
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What Are the Branches of Homeland Security?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was formally established two months after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The department integrated 22 different federal departments and agencies to...
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