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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 not. 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.
The United States Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The people who serve in the House and the Senate come from every state, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Territories. Each state has two senators, no matter how many people live there. The number of representatives a state has depends on its population. A state like New York has a big population, so it has many representatives. A state like Alaska has fewer people, so it has fewer representatives. Oregon has two senators and four representatives. ▼
Senators
Jeff Merkley
Rob Wyden
Representatives
Earl Blumenauer
Suzanne Bonamici
Peter DeFazio
Kurt Schrader
▲ Oregon’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 Legislative Assembly is the legislative branch. It makes laws that apply only to people in Oregon. The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest court in the state.
◀ Oregon elects five officials to lead the executive branch. They include the governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, attorney general, and labor and industries commissioner. The governor is the head of the executive branch. She or he serves for four years and then can run for re-election. The governor is limited to two terms in a row. But there is no limit on the number of total terms the governor can serve.
Position |
Selected Responsibilities |
|---|---|
|
Governor |
Enforces the laws of the state; makes recommendations to the legislature; appoints the heads of many agencies and departments |
|
Secretary of State |
Supervises all elections; interprets and applies state election laws; keeps public records of businesses |
|
State Treasurer |
Manages taxpayer money; serves on the State Land Board |
|
Attorney General |
Chief law officer of the state; represents the state in legal matters; gives legal advice to the governor |
|
Labor and Industries Commissioner |
Enforces state laws against discrimination; administers state laws about working conditions; directs the state’s training programs |
Oregon’s Legislative Assembly has two parts – the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate has 30 members, who serve four-year terms. The House has 60 members, who serve two-year terms. After that, members of the House and Senate can run for re-election as often as they want. The Senate and House meet once a year. The legislature passes new laws. It may also revise, or change, laws that already exist. Members also work with the governor on the state budget. ▶
▲ 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? It depends. State taxes help pay for education and human services related to health and other areas. They pay for public safety programs, environmental quality, and other programs. Oregon also has a Rainy Day Fund – a kind of savings account for the government. Local taxes pay for teachers’ salaries, libraries, police, firefighters, sanitation workers, and lots more.
“The Kicker”
“The Kicker” is an unusual budget rule in Oregon. Here’s how it works. Each year, state officials estimate how much the state will earn from taxes and other income. If the state earns 2 percent or more than the estimate, it returns the extra money to the taxpayers. That’s “The Kicker.”
◀ Oregon’s Supreme Court is the highest court in the state. The court has seven justices elected to six-year terms. The justices choose one member to be the chief justice. The chief justice chooses the chief judge of the Court of Appeals, which is a lower court. The chief justice also watches over the budget of the judicial department, plus how it is being managed. The job of Oregon judges is to settle disagreements. They do this by applying the state’s laws.
Oregon has 36 counties. County government may be organized in different ways, but all counties are in charge of the same basic services. That includes schools, police, fire, parks, healthcare, libraries, parks, and sanitation. This is where people can really see their tax dollars at work. ▼
