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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 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 Virginia’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. Virginia has 2 senators and 11 representatives.
◀ Virginia is one of four states that use the term “commonwealth” in their official name. There is no difference between a commonwealth and a state. The term reflects our historical beginnings and emphasizes that our government is based on the common good of our residents and the will of our people, unlike that of a monarchy. Virginia’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 Virginia General Assembly is the legislative branch, which makes laws that apply only to people in Virginia. The judicial branch makes sure that laws are carried out correctly.
Virginia’s Governor
Virginia’s executive branch includes the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the attorney general. The attorney general is the commonwealth’s chief legal officer. The executive branch also includes the governor’s cabinet, which includes the secretary of the commonwealth, the secretary of finance, and others. Members of the executive branch are elected to four-year terms, with the election held the year after a presidential election. The governor cannot serve two consecutive terms but can run for re-election after skipping a term. ▶
Governor Abigail Spanberger
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Virginia State Capitol
▲ Virginia’s legislative branch, called the Virginia General Assembly, has two parts. One part is the Senate, with 40 members; the other part is the House of Delegates, with 100 members. Members of the Senate serve four-year terms and have no term limits. Members of the House of Delegates serve two-year terms and have no term limits. The members of the Virginia General Assembly enact laws, approve the budget – how the state will spend its money – and elect judges.
▲ Many people complain about taxes, the money they 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 health insurance for people who cannot afford it. They are also for building and repairing state roads and rails. Local taxes pay for teachers’ salaries, schools, police, firefighters, libraries, parks and recreation, local roads, and lots more. People may think their taxes are too high, but without them, our state and our country would look quite different.
▲ Virginia has 95 counties and 38 independent cities. The independent cities are not under the control of counties, but function as if they were counties. County government may be organized in different ways, but all counties are involved in some of the same basic services, like police and fire departments, maintaining roads, providing community medical services, and maintaining courthouses. This is where you can really see your tax dollars at work.
