This article will address and explain the basics of the federal government. Simply put, politics are any activities that are connected to the government. Politics can be confusing and frustrating. However, it’s important to understand and be involved because of how much politics impact our lives. Not to mention, we’re all approaching the voting age sooner or later. By being properly informed, we give ourselves a stronger voice.

Before we continue here is some important vocabulary:

• Democracy: A system where power comes from the people, typically through voting.

• Republic: A form of representative democracy where we elect officials to make decisions for us.

• Constitution: The foundational document that outlines how our government functions.

• Federalism: A system where power is shared between national and state governments.

• Separation of Powers: The division of responsibilities across three branches to avoid too much power in one place.

Politics, in other words, is the concept of power: who has it, how it can be used, and how we prevent it from being misused. It’s also the practice of government. Politics gives us a system that allows us to navigate through decisions-making, including responses to challenges and how everyday life is structured. 

The government operates through three branches that work together to aim to make the best decisions possible. The three branches are the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch. The president is in charge of the Executive Branch. This branch handles law enforcement, oversees foreign policy, and manages federal agencies. The Legislative Branch is controlled by congress who write the laws, as well as passes them. Congress is bicameral (two houses). The two houses within Congress are the House of Representatives and the Senate. In order for bills to pass, both houses must approve it. Lastly, the Judicial Branch, our court system, analyzes these laws and decides if they are constitutional or not. This also applies to court cases as they interpret the laws to rule on a case.

One last key element of politics is political parties. In a way, political parties’ purpose is to organize ideas into categories. While there can be many different parties, the main two in the U.S. are Democratic and Republican. Historically, the differences between the two parties have been majorly economical. They typically face societal differences separated into more liberal ideologies and more conservative ideologies. 

This is just a brief overview of what politics are. I would still highly suggest for you to take this information, expand on it, and form your own opinions as well as explore and understand varying perspectives.