We the People, episode 2

I hope you and your family are enjoying the new We the People miniseries as much as I am enjoying offering them!  I was excited to have you join episode 2 - and if you weren't able to call in, here's what we talked about.

We reviewed information from the first call (read more here) about civics including what government is, the way it is organized, and what you can and your family can do as part of You’re the Cure.

Then we dove in to learning more about the makeup of the federal government!  It is made up of 3 branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial.  Do you know what the official definition of the federal government is?  It is: a system of government that divides the power between a larger central government, and the local and regional governments beneath it.  We also learned governmental powers were established by the Constitution.

We explored each branch:

• Executive branch, which is led by the President of the United States (also called "POTUS").  Our current president is Donald J. Trump - and he is the 45th president!
• Legislative branch, which is made of two bodies: the House of Representatives, and the Senate.  Together, these are also called "Congress."
• Judicial branch, which is commonly thought of as the Supreme Court, but also includes lower level federal courts.  

We also learned about state governments.  Did you know that each state has its own Legislature, although in some states they may also be called “State House or the General Assembly” - and most have two chambers, like the federal government: the state House and Senate.  One state has only one chamber, that is Nebraska.

The Legislature writes and passes bills for the state, creates the state budget, and funds different programs and agencies - among many other important things.  The number of elected representation in each state varies. 

So, you may be wondering: what does this have to do with me? Elected officials are put into office by people that vote.  You can vote when you turn 18 - and while voting is our duty as a citizen, there are other things that you can do that are important! You do not need to wait for an election to let your voice be heard.

Something very important you can do today is to become an advocate. Advocates publicly support or recommend a particular cause or policy, and at the American Heart Association, our advocacy network of advocates is called You’re the Cure.  We use our voice to make change happen. Our advocates write, call, and meet with lawmakers to talk about important public health issues.  If you'd like to learn more about joining You're the Cure, visit our website HERE.

When you tell your elected officials what matters to you, they do listen. You can make big things happen!  Even if you aren't old enough to vote, elected officials appreciate hearing your point of view, because the youth of today are the community leaders of tomorrow - and you matter!

Would you like to test what you've learned from episode 2?  You can take our fun quiz HERE!

You are never too young to make a difference!

Join us on our next call, May 4th at 10am EST/9am CST, as we talk about what big things you can do as an advocate, and which elected officials are in charge in your state!