In theory, the US government consists of three branches, the legislative which makes the laws, the Executive headed by the President that carries out the laws (at least at the federal level), and the Judicial, which is primarily the Supreme Court and is charged with determing if the laws are constitutional.
The legislative branch has the House of Representatives who serve 2 year terms and the Senate who serve for 6 years. The President is elected for a maximum of two 4-year terms. The President nominates candidates to the Supreme Court (who serve for life) and they must be confirmed by the Senate.
That's all well and good, so far as it goes. However, it doesn't allow for the millions of non-elected and largely unaccountable government employees. To a very large degree, these people can't be fired due to Civil Service laws and are very seldom held accountable even when they break the law. To a degree larger than most politicians, these bureaucrats run our government and they don't have to answer to the public.
Flame » in reply to Re: Time to answer
Government in theory verses government in reality
The whole thread (56 posts)
- For the lovely Larry
- MA, how are you doing? What in the heck did I miss?
- Time to put on the boots
- "You seem less willing to tolerate the views of others."
- You may also want to consider a cup...n/t (n/t)
- Re: Too late: you're already all wet
- Re: Time to answer
- Superb, as expected.
- Yipes!!
- For the lovely Mary Anne (n/t)
- Perspective.