The Components of a Successful Government

The Components of a Successful Government

The United States federal government is one of the most successful and prosperous institutions in the world. There are many components in a successful government. America's three branches of government run on a system of checks and balances. Checks and balances signify that no one branch has more power than the other, and all three branches need to agree before a law is passed or a reform is made. The United States federal government's responsibilities are divided among the legislative, executive, and judicial branch to prevent corruption.

The first component of the United States Government is the Legislative branch. The legislative branch is made up of the house of representatives and the senate. Each state elects two senators to represent it in Washington D.C. The number of house representatives each state has depends on the state's population. Each congressman has to be elected by popular demand to become a representative or senator. When a senator is elected, he or she is elected for a six year term; however, a senator can serve as many terms as he or she wants. A house representative is elected for a single two year term, but house representatives can also run for as many terms as he or she wants. The legislative branch's main responsibilities are to pass laws, balance the budget, and declare war. The legislative branch is the only that can declare war, and they vote on military decisions. The legislative branch also has to pass a budget every year in order to balance the budget. In the law making process, the legislative branch is the first branch of government to analyze the bill, and if they approve of the bill, it is then sent to the president to be signed or vetoed.

The second, and the most publicized, branch of the United States government is the executive branch. Within the executive branch lies the President of the United States and his cabinet. The president is elected by the people of the United States. The president is elected for a four year term and can only be elected twice, to prevent corruption. Upon election, the president appoints cabinet members to help him manage different aspects of the country. Although the president is also known as the Commander in Chief, many presidents do not have military experience and have to rely on the military advisers to make practical military decisions. The president's main responsibilities are to uphold and protect the constitution, act as the commander and chief of the armed forces, and sign or veto laws. To uphold and protect the constitution, the president enforces laws by means of federal law enforcement, proposing new laws, and appointing federal judges. Once a bill reaches