Why You Should Vote

1. The Federal Government

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In this first official episode, Eli and Sonia take you through the basic structure of the federal government. We describe each of the three branches and how they interact, as well as who belongs in each branch. We also talk about what each branch controls, who you vote for and who is appointed, and how subsections of the three main branches work.

Notes

A quick correction: in this episode, we said that the President appoints secretaries, diplomats, and justices, and the Senate confirms them. Technically, the President nominates people for those positions and then the Senate confirms them.

Links & Resources

  • The official U.S. government website about federal elections and voting is a good starting place for information and resources about voting in the U.S.
  • Look up contact information for all your elected officials
  • General background and information about the Legislative Branch, the Executive Branch, and the Judicial Branch
  • Official websites for the House of Representatives and Senate, where you can find your representatives’ contact info and look up bills
  • Official website of the President and the Executive Branch
  • A list of all the government agencies and what they are responsible for
  • Official website of the Federal Register, the repository of federal regulations and agency rules
  • Look at and comment on proposed regulations (the site appears to be in beta, undergoing a revamp)
  • Official website of the Supreme Court
  • The Obergefell v. Hodges opinion, which is worth a read

    • Homework

    Your homework this week is to look up your federal representatives.

    • Know who your senators and representative are
    • Look into their legislative interests and priorities
    • Maybe follow them on twitter, or put their office phone number in your address book
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