Free
Much of the time, the United States government runs pretty smoothly.
Laws are passed and enforced. Court cases are heard. Relations with other countries are carried out. This is due primarily to the genius of our Constitution. The Constitution establishes three branches of government – the legislative branch, the executive branch, and the judicial branch. The legislative branch makes the laws. The executive branch enforces the laws. And the judicial branch decides whether laws are constitutional or unconstitutional. The Constitution also establishes the separation of powers. That means the government has a system of checks and balances that makes sure no single branch of government has too much power.
To find out more about our national government, go here: How America Works.
To dive into Illinois’s government, scroll down.
▲ The United States Congress has two parts – the Senate and the House of Representatives. The people who make up the Senate and the House come from every state, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Territories. Every state has two senators, no matter how many people live there. Every state has representatives according to its population. So states where many people live, like New York or California, have more representatives. States where few people live, like Alaska, have fewer representatives. Illinois has 2 senators and 17 representatives.
◀ Illinois’s government is divided into three branches, just like the national government. It also has the same checks and balances. The governor is the head of the executive branch. The Illinois General Assembly is the legislative branch. It makes laws that apply only to people in Illinois. The judicial branch makes sure that laws are carried out correctly.
Illinois’s Governor
JB Pritzker
◀ Illinois’s executive branch includes the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the attorney general. The attorney general is the state’s chief legal officer. The executive branch also includes the secretary of state, the comptroller, and the treasurer. Members of the executive branch are elected to four-year terms, with no limit on how many terms they may serve.
Illinois’s legislative branch, called the Illinois General Assembly, has two parts. One part is the Senate, with 59 members. The other part is the House of Representatives, with 118 members. Members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms. They have no term limits. Members of the Illinois Senate serve two four-year terms and one two-year term over a decade. The members of the Illinois General Assembly decide on the state budget – how the state will spend its money. ▶
Illinois State Capitol
Many people complain about taxes. Taxes are the money people pay to city, state, or federal government. Some taxes are based on a person’s income. Some taxes are added to the price of goods and services. Where does all that tax money go, you might ask. It depends. State taxes mostly pay for education and building and repairing state roads and bridges. They pay for public transportation. And for health insurance for people who cannot afford it. Local taxes pay for teachers’ salaries, schools, police, firefighters, parks and recreation areas, and lots more. People may think their taxes are too high. But without them, our state and our country would look quite different. ▶
▲ Illinois has 102 counties. With over 5 million people, Cook County, where Chicago is located, has more people than any other county in the state. County government may be organized in different ways, but all counties are involved in some of the same basic services. Like managing elections, maintaining roads, providing emergency medical services, and operating public libraries. This is where you can really see your tax dollars at work.
