The government has its responsibilities that have to be executed in order for state to function properly, and the state can function properly when its citizens are protected so they are able to contribute. Some government responsibilities are based on domestic policies and some are based on foreign policies.

The federal government serves the purpose set forth for the people in the Preamble to the Constitution by completing its responsibilities, and the people in return give the government its power to exercise the purpose of the Constitution. There are several ways in which the government focuses on serving the purposes set forth in the Preamble to the Constitution.

The government domestic responsibility is to serve the purpose of the Constitution by encouraging the development of **a more Perfect Union** between the states because it is believed that the government, the states, and the people are stronger together. Based on the principles to form a more perfect Union, all of the states came about and are referred as the United States, with a belief that it is beneficial for states to work with one another and be friendly.

The government through domestic policies aims to **establish justice** by creating laws that are fair and equal for all, that is the reason why Martin Luther King is highly regarded. As Thomas Jefferson said that providing justice is “the most sacred of the duties of government”. The governments aims to achieve justice by creating laws that are just, fair and equal to all.

The government provides **Domestic Tranquility**, which is based on an order that aims to maintain peace in its own country, and literally home. In some parts of the Third World, for example, there is no legislative body that aims to do this, and the result is dangerous warlords across the board who control various territories. This is set to be one of the main functions of government. Like James Madison observed that “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”

The government acts as a servant of the people through a domestic policy that promotes **the General Welfare** through services that are meant to benefit all or most people. For example, public school, clean water and highways is one of the ways that the government does this. These are the goods that everyone has a right to. In order to keep them public and available, people need to contribute. On the other hand, government provides universities that are meant for everyone, but are not free, thus only provided to some.

As far as foreign policy goes, one of primary motives government has is to protect the United States. Protecting **the Blessings of Liberty** through reasonable action and the philosophy that no one can do what they want if by doing so something interferes with another’s liberty. Everyone has their duties and responsibilities that are necessary to achieve the safety and freedom of all, for example, protecting someone’s property and life. Therefore, freedom cannot be complete. Examples of foreign policies are diplomacy, military defense, sanctions, global environmental policy etc.

The government provides for **Common Defense** and security from foreign enemies through its foreign policy. This is a crucial part of United States to function and be great, since the rest of the world is not a safe place. It is an essential motive of the government to protect its nation and this is done through military forces. Defense is done through military forces consisting of army, navy and air force. All with the purpose of protecting the people of the States, strive for autonomy.

States arose from *ideas*, which were then put into practice based on theories. Of the many ideas that have arisen throughout history, there are only a few that stand out among the others and have been or are in use.

**Social contract theory** is a modern theory that most states rely on today. The social contract theory suggests that the state is created by the same population living in a given area. Free people who by agreement have gave power and enforced a government in return for the welfare and safety of all. Society lives in an agreement to oblige to the rules that are for all. Contract the constitution and then create a government that then runs the state and provides sovereignty to the people in return. The people give to the government so that they can benefit from it in return, these benefits are provided by the government. Autonomy and sovereign state are reasons why a government is created. The theory was developed in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries by philosophers such as John Locke and Thomas Hobbes.

**The force theory** states that the state started from an individual or a small circle of people who forced other people to agree to their rules, people had no choice. When others did so, everything else fell into place to create a state.

**Evolutionary theory** suggests that the state gradually arose over stages from an early family or one main individual (government) that, through centuries, turned into a tribe. When a tribe gave up on nomadic ways because it benefited from staying in the same area thanks to agriculture, that is when the state was born.

**The Divine Rights of Kings Theory** is based on the idea that God created the state, which is based on sovereignty. Therefore, the state is a defined, independent territory, with its own autonomy. However, a state having autonomy does not mean that the people are in charge. According to this theory, the divine few are destined to rule a state, with everyone else having to obey their rules, just as they would obey God. The theory goes so far that those who oppose the right of kings are considered traitors, and their opposing actions are considered a mortal sin. Many ancient civilizations were built on this theory, including the Egyptian and Mayan civilizations.

Enlightenment, derived from French “century of the enlightened”, is originally a European intellectual movement from 17th and 18th century that had influenced the world. It shines a light on **individual rights** and progress, **reason**, *god and humanity*. It is a movement that is a notable part of human history and revolution. Assuming that humans rationally want to do and be better, thus this movement focused *on promoting knowledge, individual freedom and contentment.*

The enlightenment movement did not necessarily make things up, but rather brought them to global attention that has had great significance in shaping the world as we know it today. It *shaped modern society* and basis of governments, as it gave people information that everyone has personal rights naturally, and their words and actions have a meaning.

*Thomas Hobbes* stated that rulers and people are parties of social contract, therefore defining each others rights and power. This idea gave people more mental space in order to break from systems, for example rights of kings, therefore allowed people to understand and act in accordance to their naturally belonging human rights which led to evolving. People gaining more mental freedom by realizing that rulers do not necessarily have to be God-sent, that power should reside in the people, and that people grant rulers the power to rule. Those who rule can be held accountable for their actions. *John Locke* was one of the individuals in the movement who made known natural rights of all human beings, this idea forms **basis of Declaration of independence**. Some people were so bound to religion to the point it was working against them, a man named *Francois Arouet*, who promoted religious freedom, noted how crucial scientific observation is, and the idea that everyone has so much progress ahead of them, as a whole. The enlightenment produced first notions of *psychology and ethics*, separating them from religion.

There are many notable ideas in the movement, such as separation of powers of the government into a system of branches that control each other. William Blackstone stated **the “common law”** where all legal decisions are suppose to be based on similar ones made in the past. After all of the following events, almost every government addresses the popular sovereignty.

The United States Declaration of Independence shares principles from the movement. All men are equal and have rights to life and freedom, that the government protects and enforces these ideas, and that the people enforce their rights when the government tries to deprive them of their rights. *The laws of nature and the nature’s God* substantiate what the Declaration of Independence stands for. Sharing a belief that moral behavior is inherently in the human mind, which makes it superior to all written laws. This means that the power of government should be based on the power of those under it. This idea is taken as one of the *self-evident truths* that makes a connection between **the natural rights** and the creation of a government for the people based on the Declaration of Independence.

**The written Constitution** is a **blueprint for how American government operates**. It is a short document that vows to the concept of popular sovereignty.

It contains *the Preamble to the Constitution*, which states the intentions of the framers and the purpose of the document. It states how the governed, the people, have power in a government.
It contains *documentation of the Articles* that establishes the specific protections of constitutional government and the relationship between the states.
It contains *Bill of Rights* that are amendments to the Constitution. Through time and nations progress additional amendments were added.

The written constitution basically expresses the ideals such as: **Popular sovereignty**; it is the people who establish the government and are a source of government power, the power resides in the people. **Limited government**; the power of government is a restricted and a controlled power so that the people do not experience unrestrained power and abuse from the government. **Separation of powers**; the system of government is divided into branches whose purpose is to provide order and justice. **Checks and balances**; three branches check each other through some restricted powers over other branches, but are independent. **Judicial review**; checking to see if everything is in accordance with the constitution, through allowance of striking down laws and others actions that are seen as unconstitutional. **Federalism**; states rights are protected with power being given to the national government through power sharing.

One of the individuals who voiced rights of individuals against a government and the protection of individual liberties more clearer was **William Blackstone**. Blackstone’s assumptions serve as one of the essential principles of the American First Amendment. He argued that no man-made law has any moral probity over natural law, therefore no human law can alter the meaning and content of a natural right. **Natural law** is part of a foundation of America’s founding documents. He emphasized a significance on and stated that the law of nature is a superior, never changing and an unruly law of conduct for all men.

William Blackstone was an English jurist who helped solidify the power of government by creating the “common law” belief. **The “common law”** is the belief that all legal decisions should be based on similar decisions made in the past. Common law consists of constitutional rules made by experts that are usually issued when cases are decided on, rather than laws made by the government or in statutes. For example, a common law is when a judge states that people must read contracts. He specifically **influenced the legislative branch** of the American government by stating that the legislative power should reside in the anatomy of the people.

The constitutional provision limits the power of the government by separating it into three different branches, whose primary object is to provide order and justice. The branches are coequal and independent of each other, which means they cannot interfere with each other’s work. This is called **the separation of powers** of the government. Separation of power divides power of government into branches, therefore power is shared through giving different tasks to branches, this could be looked at as a weakness in some case scenarios.

The purpose of restricted power of the government is so that the people do not experience unrestrained power and abuse from the government. So the branches do have some restricted power over each other to prevent transgressions. The **written constitution** is based on these principles, or we can say the separation of power is based on the principles from constitution so it is clear what powers branch exerts. This is all done because the U.S. government vows to carry out popular sovereignty, the people should govern the state by obligating the government that is based on most preference.

It is upheld that each branch should do its work according to the law without interfering exercise of power in another branch, so that way as it was stated in *Article xxx* that until the end it can be a government of laws and not of men. All this is aimed to make the state as just and productive as possible for its citizens.

Legislative branch of government holds the power that allows the government to create the laws and its policies. Thus, the people can indirectly exercise their will through the actions made by their representatives in government. It is the only place where laws are made or changes are made to existing laws. The legislature is not only responsible for making laws, but also for regulating the intergovernmental sphere, controlling taxation and spending policies, and declaring war. In order for a bill to become law, both houses must approve the same bill by majority vote.

The legislative branch consists of **two houses**: **the House of Representatives** and **the Senate**, together known as Congress. The purpose of this set is to ensure that **each state has a chance and equal representation**. The Senate gathers two elected senators to represent a state, while the House of Representatives is population-based, the larger a state’s population, the more seats a state has in Congress. The Senate house allows every state to have a voice, while the House of Representatives is population-size based. Members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years, must have been U.S. citizens for at least seven years, must be over the age of 25, and must be a resident of the state they intend to represent. The Congress was originally divided into two houses in order to achieve a balanced interest of smaller and larger states.

The **executive branch** of government serves its purpose through the **ability of executing laws** created by the legislative branch. The branch ensures the laws enacted by Congress are implemented and enforced. The power of the executive branch is in the hands of the elected President of the United States. **The president** is commander-in-chief of the **armed forces, head of state, and head of government**.

The president has the power to pass laws or reject proposed laws from Congress. Congress can reject a veto with a two-thirds vote of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The executive branch is also responsible for **diplomatic relations** with foreign countries, as the president is responsible for negotiating and signing agreements that are then formally approved by the Senate.

Presidential power has grown in recent centuries due to **emergency situations** in which presidents have been able to react quickly in some cases of crises, changes in the economic system and in the social life of states. All this indicates that the growth was a result of the general **unity of the presidency,** it has met the expectations of the people. After all, the United States is one of the most powerful forces in the world with presidential system and became one with a president as head of the state.

X

Local

State

Federal

Branches of Government

Judicial, executive, legislative.

Judicial, executive, legislative.

Judicial, executive, legislative.

Positions Found Within Government

President, Congress, Supreme Court

How the Government Positions are Decided

The chief executive is elected, as are members of congress. Supreme court justices are appointed by sitting president and confirmed by congress.

Powers

Impact on Economy

Public works spending, regulation, grants.

This question requires outside research. The best way to approach this project would be to make a large charts, each with a column for local, state and federal government. The rows would represent; the branches of government at each level, the title of positions found within each layer, how the members of each branch are determined, powers found at each level of government and the impact each level has the economy. I have created a mock up of the chart I would use to display this information as well as filled in a few answers as an example. To complete this assignment I would use the index found at the back of the textbook and research from there. Any answers that can’t be found within the text book I would research elsewhere.

The U.S. Constitutional Republic and a socialist government can both be democratic in nature.

A **socialist government** is based on an economic system in which the **ownership of goods and natural resources is public** rather than private, which means production and prices are set by the government rather than the free market as in the United States.

This is because the U.S.’s economy is based on the free enterprise system which allows businesses to set their own prices, whereas in socialism it is believed that everyone should benefit from economic activity, therefore the government manages it.

A **unitary government** is one in which **all powers are vested in one central agency**. Power is then **distributed among smaller local agencies** to relieve the burden on one central agency. The capacities of local agencies are then determined by a central agency.

The downside of a unitary government is that a single legislative body, or a single person at the top who is not controlled by anyone else, can lead to hurting its own citizens because there is limited capacity for **accountability**.

The good side of a unitary government is that it **brings clarity to the citizens** about the process of government as there is only one central authority that the citizens can subject.

In this quote, Abraham Lincoln is pondering the importance of finding a balance in the powers expressed by a government.

Lincoln felt that if a government is too strong it begins to oppress the liberties of its people. On the other hand, if a government is too weak it can lose its ability to uphold the law.

For example, if a government has too much power it can control its people with unfair taxes, oppress their ability to express themselves, and limit people’s rights all in the name of maintaining peace. If a government is too weak people’s rights are limited by other, stronger individuals and society falls back into a pre-governance warlord state.

Lincoln, as most presidents do, struggled to find the right mix of control and freedom to solve the problems of the day without causing outrage from the citizens. Ultimately both sides of this issue pertain to the main goal of the government which is maintaining safety and peace for its citizens.

**Personal responsibility** is individual based and meant for all. Broadly speaking, it resembles that an individual accepts established social norms and lives by them. Personal responsibility is **not dependent on anyone except the individual himself**, an individual who is able to overcome challenges and be held accountable for his own actions. Accountable individual recognizes that his choices determine his life and that this makes him personally responsible. This literally implies respecting others and also being morally open minded. Personal responsibility also means being able to set boundaries; if someone takes on too much, it will work against them. There are many other positive qualities of a personally responsible individual such as **humility, courage, persistence, authenticity, organization, and self-control.**

**Civic responsibilities** are public based, or we can say city-based, and are also meant for everyone. They involve the agreement of mutual concessions with **actions in accordance with government and social participation**. Civic duties are crucial for the success of a democratic society. The values of a given system, the principles from the founding documents of a state put forth are all ensured by the acts of civic responsibility. Values of civic responsibility are upheld by contributing members of society. Responsible and productive citizens resemble personal responsibilities than put altogether creating civic responsibilities on the external actions of citizens. Civic responsibilities are crucial to a just society where all are equal, and this is achieved through the actions of citizens (responsibilities). One of the most humble acts of a civic responsibility is **volunteering** in the community.

**The rule of law** is a concept that states that **everyone is a subject of law, including the government and its officials**. The rule of law applies to every citizen in that everyone lives in an agreement where if someone breaks the rules, they face consequences.

The primary motive is to protect the citizens, even by protecting them from themselves. Thus, the rule of law would not exist if people did not agree with and submit to the law and the authorities. Furthermore, the rule of law ensures that people who are criminally charged go through a fair trial and receive a just sentence. It has an important role for the state because it aims to ensure justice and equality and prevents governments from abusing their citizens.

The purpose is to protect individual rights and human rights. Without the rule of law, it would only be possible if everyone conducted themselves like angels. **The rule of law protects individual rights** by holding individuals who break the rules accountable for their actions. That is why the law is public and clearly stated. There is a quote from **Magna Carta**, which states that no free man shall be imprisoned or destroyed, nor shall they go after him except by the lawful judgement of his peers or by the law of the land. This relates to the rule of law because it says that no one will be punished unless he deserves it, and if he does, he will be judged in a just manner.

**Presidential government** is a government with a **president as the head of government**, who leads the executive branch and is separate from the legislative branch. The legislative branch has more power than the president in some cases, especially when the president is not the head of state. However, the president’s power tends to be more freely exercised, as only one person makes decisions, whereas in the legislative branch, most must agree to a decision.

Some **advantages** of a presidential government are faster decision making (popular phrase from Harry Truman; “the buck stops on his desk”), discretionary power in appointments, a single statewide constituency.

Some **disadvantages** of a presidential government are a greater tendency to dictatorship which contradicts a democratic system, creating more resistance between the bodies of a government, it is expensive to run, increased chances of absenteeism in party activities and proneness to creating confusion between the branches.

**The private enterprise system** is an economic system that **is not run or owned by the government**. Everything in this system belongs to an individual or group of individuals. What makes it a **capitalist and market-based system** is the way consumers act as an invisible hand in the system of demand, setting prices for products or services. This type of system aims to achieve perfect competition because perfect competition is believed to push others to progression and greatness. **The government regulates** it by setting certain laws that control how businesses operate, so it can indirectly influence the free enterprise system. Finally, the government regulates the system through various consumer protection standards, business practices, labels, etc. Therefore, there are a few restrictions set forth on the free market system such as setting standards for products, especially when they cause harm to consumers or are unjust in an economical way. Everything else is privately decided, including prices and production.

Every citizen of United States has **mandatory obligations** that it has to oblige by. **Obeying the law** is one of mandatory obligation of every citizen, staying loyal to the constitution. It is of great importance because obeying the law ensures many things that benefit society as whole. If a law is broken there might be a penalty for it, which is mandatory to pay. There are other obligations such as **respecting individual rights and beliefs of others, taking part in your local community, and paying income taxes**. Obligations and responsibilities are somewhat of a similar word, however there is a difference. Obligations are acts that a citizen is legally or morally bound to, while responsibilities are duties that an individual is expected or required to do. What makes democracy function for the sake of people is people contributing for it through some obligations such as tax paying. Without citizen obligations, eventually there would be no more citizens, or the state would turn into anarchy.

The whole purpose of citizen obligations is for the public good, and a well- functioning democracy is achieved by the service of the people, or we may say, by the obligations of the citizens. That is what makes a healthy state function.

Best case scenario is when there is a balance between personal desires and obligations to the public good. The services of **public good**, such as **law enforcement, military defense, clean water and air,** are available to everyone because everyone manages to contribute to the system of the government, which then gives back. A great example would be tax obligations through which citizens provide for general welfare and schools.

At the end of the day, the public good aims to provide for all individuals so that they can have an access to their own personal fulfillment, and that is only possible through a **collective compromise** that should be based on the general preferences.

**The role of the Judicial Branch** of the U.S. government is to check whether current laws are aligned with the Constitution. The branch is responsible for defining the meaning of laws and applying the laws in a system. By being responsible for ensuring that the laws are applied, the Judicial Branch becomes a branch of government that checks the power of the other branches of the system by making sure that the branches are executing their jobs and ensuring that the laws are protected for the benefit of the citizens. So from the above we can conclude that the purpose of the Judiciary is to protect the rights and laws given by the Constitution.

The branch makes use of its power through the highest court in the U.S. that is called **the Supreme Court** which is also **a court defined in the Constitution**, and the Constitution is the highest U.S. law. This is important to note because everything revolves around the principles of the Constitution. The Supreme Court has underlaying courts below it and is headed by nine judges who are appointed by the President and then confirmed by the Congress.

**The length of a federal judge’s term** of office is constitutionally **determined by a continuous and properly performed duty**, which is to be rewarded with compensation. Thus, so long as the judge performs his duties to a high and acceptable standard in accordance with the Constitution, he “shall hold their Offices during good Behavior”. After properly performing his duties, he receives formal recognition that fairly protects his position. If the judge is not capable of completing his role, it breaks the continuance and it is probably best to retire or resign from the position as the Constitution states, “which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office”. The founders probably chose this term of office probably because it aims to strike a balance, that is worthy of the Supreme Court, between individual capability and ability/competence, which is then validated with compensation.

The United States is based on the idea of equality and freedom for all. It uses government as a mechanism that aims to achieve a successful state based on democracy. A successful state where everyone should be respected and treated equally, including minorities, regardless of a person’s ethnicity, class, gender, appearance, or language. This is the reason why **the U.S. is based on the principle of recognizing the dignity** of every human being and acting accordingly.

In return, people must obey the laws and contribute to the system in order for it to work. The system that is based on a general preference (governed is who governs) requires compromise by the people in order for it to work so that everyone can have the basic living necessities of life like clean air and water, be protected by the law and military enforcement, and thus create and use the opportunities they have or create.

The problem that might arise is that if the majority rules, the minorities might be neglected, so a principle that outlines a belief in the rule of the majority also notes an insistence on the rights of minorities. In conclusion, the principles and beliefs upon which the United States is based are meant to help achieve a successful democratic state of the nation.

Everyone has the right to participate in **the political process** in a variety of ways, through a variety of activities. One of the most popular forms of participation in formal politics that everyone has heard of is voting. Another way to participate in formal politics is by joining an elective political party. Political participation encompasses a variety of ways, but it can also start simply by thinking about social issues, or it can go further and lead to campaigning at a local or national level. However, political participation does not necessarily have to be involvement in formal politics, individuals can also join non-electable parties and in this way still participate in the movements of the government.

**The state government** is a form of government modeled on the federal form of the U.S. government (judicial, legislative, and executive branches) and subdivided. It carries out its political activities at a lower level than the federal government and has less power. The point of state governments is that an area defined as a state has more political sufficiency over that defined area, so the state government operates at a much lower scale than the federal governments, but has a lot of political power over its state.

The state government is a system within the federal system of government that engages in political activities just like the federal government, but at a lower scale. State governments are governed by the governor of the state capital, while executive power is vested in the Chief Minister. Anyone can make a difference at the state level by participating in the electoral system or directly influencing how the state is run by running for an elected official; you have to get the votes and be elected to **have a direct impact on state policy**.

The importance of **the principle of checks and balances** in the U.S. government is stated and discussed in this Federalist Paper 51.

It outlines the importance of sharing the power of the government based on the Constitution by dividing it into branches, which in turn are divided into another series of the same branches. The division of power into different branches ensures the security of the power of the people handed over to a single government. The idea behind checks and balances is that the different governments check each other while exercising self-control, which in turn leads to the state being ruled by the people because that way it is not possible for the government to become too powerful.

Checks and balances is an important mechanism of the U.S. government, that is based on a republican democracy, because **it allows it to keep power in the hands of the people**, or in other words, their elected representatives. Considering that the U.S. was founded a approximately 250 years ago and is now one of the most powerful nations in the world, it is fair to say that the principles and philosophy behind the government certainly work.

See Answer Below

The Preamble of the U.S Constitution sets out goals which aim to make the best life possible for its citizens. The federal government serves the purposes set forth in the Preamble through actions carried out by all three branches of government. Congress writes and passes laws in order to promote the general welfare. These laws ensure clean air, safe food, and access to schools. The Supreme Court aims to fulfill the charge of establishing justice by ruling on court cases and striving to make the law as fair as possible. The Executive Branch is responsible for the military and foreign affairs which both provide for the common defense. Many of the Preamble’s goals are an aspiration, and therefore not fully met by the federal government. It is the responsibility of every citizen and elected official to work toward forming a more perfect union which realizes these goals.

Citizen obligations are duties to which all citizens are bound by law: pay taxes, obey laws, and serve as jurors. The reason is that they ensure the functioning of the democratic system.

The **system functions because everyone obeys the law**, so there is order and in this way society comes closer to the idea of the natural law, the goal that everyone enjoys their personal freedom. Without everyone obliging the law and paying fo the consequences when the law is broken, a state would turn into anarchy and it would probably be a dangerous place that is not safe.

**Paying taxes** gives people **clean air, water, highways, and schools.** Even though paying taxes is a financial burden, it is so to say an investment that benefits everyone because it allows the system to take care of its citizens. Try to imagine the state without taxes, it would probably tumble down and eventually end up in a situation like the third world countries are in.

**The confederate governmen**t is a **formation of the member states** which has only the power to deal with the problem that the states assigned to, they **deal with common concerns**, therefore we can say that it is a coalition of common interests. The purpose of a confederate government is to form a union between the states that remain sovereign for the sake of cooperative power. The structure within a confederation that has the most power is the states themselves, however when they come together on a common subject or issue, that is when this system flourishes and has more power than one state would on its own.

Some **advantages** of a confederate government are: the ability of the states to work together more quickly while maintaining their own sovereignty, especially in emergency situations, and the legislations are usually passed quickly. The confederation also provides **support and offers protection for all of its members**, assisting them in foreign relations and defense situations when needed. This is the **reason for the formation of the European Confederation**.

Some **disadvantages** of a confederate government are: It tends to **disunite** the states because each state has its own political autonomy and power and therefore deals with its own foreign policy that **results in differences** between states in different aspects.

**Local governments are smaller units within the federal system** and have certain responsibilities that deliver wide range of services, such as roads, community and economic progress, public and amenity services, voter registration maintenance, local police and fire departments etc., while the federal and state governments tend to focus on protecting citizens. The supreme body of a local government is the city council.

Considering the written above, there are **many ways to participate in government at the local level**, starting with employment in one of the services that local government provides, which in turn makes not only the local area function better, but the state as a whole, in fact it is crucial for the system to work on a local and a bigger scale. People can participate in their local governments by *electing their eligible representatives* and participating in this way, as a by product, influence the decision making process of the council. For truly dedicated and vision driven individuals, getting involved in the local government system, such as *running for the local office*, is a great opportunity. There are also other services to the community, such as activism or protesting at the local level.

**All of the listed ways together make a big difference** in the *local community*, and usually the successful local communities have their people radiating a sense of unity in the local area. Another important thing to note is the budgeting of a local government, which gives better conditions for civic priorities, revenues, and generally speaking, plans for the future of the local territory.

One of the citizenship duties is to serve as a juror. A randomly selected U.S. citizen is called to serve as an impartial juror in a trial of a suspected criminal who is innocent until ,or unless proven guilty. The **reason for jury obligation** is to **render unbiased verdicts** and help resolve cases of accused individuals in the court, and that is the reason that makes it an obligation.

The purpose of this process is to ensure fairness in trials so that defendants have a better chance of getting justice. The suspected offender will be judged by peers from a similar background and area who can identify with the defendant based on similar experiences in the local community, which in turn will hopefully lead to a fair trial. Otherwise, defendants would be judged directly by professional judges and prosecutors who are less likely to be impartial. This may result in stricter and more rigorous nature of the procedures, which means that defendants may receive an unfair trial, which is contrary to the *fundamental principles of the United States*.

Failure to appear for jury duty is taken seriously by the government. When **citizens who are summoned to serve on juries would fail to appear, it would affect the fairness of the system** because then no one can judge impartially; sometimes trials are even delayed, and the individuals will be required to explain why they did not appear. Failure to appear is serious and can have consequences for the jurors. The judge may impose a fine, community service hours, or even taking it as far as sentencing the jurors to jail time.

The purpose of governments is to serve and protect the rights and liberties of its citizens, while the citizens are obligated to serve so that a healthy, functioning democratic state is achieved. The government should be based on a general preference and the majority rule, which means that the government is run by the people. The government is responsible to its citizens, and the citizens elect their government representatives who than promote and execute the goals of general preference.

The government needs to ensure that all individuals are treated equal, no one comes before the law or has any privileges so that the system takes shape in accordance to the principles in the Constitution of the U.S.
Even though the government makes laws that must be followed, the reason for it is to protect its citizens by aiming to achieve order in the system so that everyone can live, have opportunities, and feel safe to some extent. With the part of safety also comes the judiciary, whose job it is to respond to actions that are against the law, which has consequences, but again for the good of the citizens, because that is what it protects.

The government must implement the principles upon which the Constitution is based, as it has done, in order to give life to the philosophy upon which the United States was built. The principles whose goals are to: ensure individual freedom, secure the nation, promoting the general welfare, providing with the common defense, execute the laws and judicially reviewing the laws, distributing and separating power equally, focusing on the implementation of federalism, all with the goal of achieving the popular sovereignty of the people who make up the government, whose true source of power is in the people. It is a vice versa relationship between the people and the government; the governed are the ones who govern.

The government collects the balance through taxes and then pumps it, or we can say invests it right back into the system, whether it be infrastructure, schools and education, promoting general welfare, health care, etc. It’s all about providing citizens with services that are available to all, therefore we can thank the government system for clean water.

Another important part of the government is dealing with foreign policy issues such as economics and trade. A lot can be accomplished through international trade, which can benefit the growth of markets and access to goods and services that are not available domestically per say. Everything goes hand in hand: the better international trade is, the more competition there is, which can lead to providing the product cheaper domestically, increased revenue, and easier cash flow to manage. Then, it is easier to take risks and be rewarded for it because the economy can afford it, which indirectly benefits the nation.

As important as building a great economy is, military defense is equally important in a world filled with violence, crime and possible foreign invaders. The U.S. Armed Forces secure the nation and its citizens by being eligible to defend them against threats and foreign invaders, while within the states there are various bodies and structures responsible for protection at a domestic level (federal, state and local).

All in all, the United States of America, in about 250 years, became one of the most powerful nations in the world, and it was built from the ground up. The government is, so to speak, loyal to the people, it obeys the people it serves in return, and obviously it is working.