Portal:Government of the United States

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U.S. Government Portal

The federal government of the United States is the centralized United States governmental body established by the United States Constitution. The federal government has three branches: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. Through a system of separation of powers or "checks and balances", each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, some authority to regulate the other two branches, and has some of its own authority, in turn, regulated by the other branches. The policies of the federal government have a broad impact on both the domestic and foreign affairs of the United States. In addition, the powers of the federal government as a whole are limited by the Constitution, which leaves a great deal of authority to the individual states.

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Selected article

The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. It provides the framework for the organization of the United States Government. The document outlines the three main branches of the government. The legislative branch is embodied in the bicameral Congress. The executive branch is headed by the President. The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court. Besides providing for the organization of these branches, the Constitution carefully outlines which powers each branch may exercise. It also reserves numerous rights for the individual states, thereby establishing the United States' federal system of government. The United States Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later ratified by conventions in each state in the name of "The People"; it has since been amended twenty-seven times, the first ten amendments being known as the Bill of Rights. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was actually the first constitution of the United States of America. The U.S. Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation as the governing document for the United States, and transformed the constitutional basis of government from confederation to federation, also making it the world's oldest federal constitution.

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Selected picture

President Richard Nixon won 60% of the popular vote and 49 states in the U.S. presidential election, 1972.

Photo credit: NationalAtlas

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In the news

• President Bush vetoes an expansion of the popular State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The measure has bipartisan support and Congressional backers may secure a veto-proof supermajority.Washington Post
• The New York Times reports on secret Justice Department memos endorsing the use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" widely regarded as torture. Previous memos indicated the opposite.NPR
• Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigns after numerous controversies. President Bush nominates Michael B. Mukasey (pictured) to fill his post.Washington Post
• Commander David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker deliver a report on Iraq that recommends troop drawdowns by summer, 2008. The Economist
• Republican Senator Larry Craig rescinds his earlier promise to resign from the Senate amid ongoing scandal.CNN
• José Padilla is convicted of various terrorism-related conspiracy crimes.PBS

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Current legislation

Legislation

• H.R. 2102 - a bill shielding reporters and their sources from judicial inquiry.NY Times
• H.R. 2419 - a 2007 Farm bill comes close to passage in the Senate.The Hill
• H.R. 976 - an expansion to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) program is vetoed by the President.Congresspedia

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Government of the United States is one of the United States WikiProjects.

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