11 // CIVICS

There's no faster way to divide or alienate your Thanksgiving dinner table than by the dreaded, impending mention of politics.

Politics is one of the most mind-numbing topics to have ever been conceptualized. It's also one of the most important ones, and its conceptualization is par for the course in any developing country. A rich understanding of just what policies and systems make up a country's (hopefully your own) government is crucial for any responsible citizen.

(Image from Business Insider)

The study and application of the inner-workings governments is called civics. The United States has had many iterations of its own government since its founding fathers' departure from Great Britain. Nowadays, however, the U.S. government can be divided into three central branches: legislative, judicial, and executive.

Each are important for maintaining the checks-and-balances of the country. But what exactly does each of them do?

Legislative: The Senate and the House

Also known as the U.S. Congress, this branch is responsible for crafting laws and approving presidential nominations of federal courts and agencies. This branch is comprised of the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives.

Legislators for/from Arkansas include:

• Senators John Boozman (R) and Tom Cotton (R)
• Representatives Eric Crawford (R), J. Hill (R), Steve Womack (R), and Bruce Westerman (R)

Additional senators and representatives can be found here and here.

Judicial: The Courts

This branch is where we get into the nitty gritty of which laws are unconstitutional, unjust, etc. A power wielded by the Supreme Court, this is typically the logical ending-point of most changes and causes in America.

As of 2025, the U.S. has nine Supreme Court Justices, all of which include:

• Chief Justice John G. Roberts
• Associate Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson

Information about the Justices can be found here.

Executive: The President, the Witch, and the Cabinet

Okay, there isn't actually a witch. But it is comprised of the United States President, Vice President, and subsequent Cabinet Members and departments.

• The President is the head of this branch, having the power to veto any bills the legislative branch might make, as well as the supreme commander of all United States militaries. As of 2025, the President of the United States is Donald J. Trump (R)
• The Vice President acts as a replacement for the President, should anything happen to them. They also have the additional job of breaking ties within the Senate, as well as technically being apart of the Cabinet. As of 2025, the Vice President of the United States is J. D. Vance (R)
• Cabinet Members act as advisors for the President, often relaying facts and information regarding their respective departments. These departments can range from Agriculture to Transportation, and are often indicative of the prime industries in America.

Nonspecific info about the executive branch, as well as a list of all its departments, can be found here.

(Photo of former U.S. President Bill Clinton. From ThoughtCo.)

Politics are messy, and is most likely bound to become a lot more complicated in the future. But a thorough understanding of just how the gears of the U.S. government function can aid any heated debates we may have at that ominous dinner table.

- C. Thomas Bailey