Definition of Motion To Proceed To Consider A “Motion to Proceed to Consider” is a step used in the United States Senate to move forward with debate on proposed laws or appointments. Imagine you’re with a group of friends deciding what game to play. Before you can start, you all need to agree on a game—that’s like the Senate agreeing to begin a debate with a Motion to Proce... »
Definition The House Rules Committee is a very important part of the United States government. It’s a group in the House of Representatives, which is one part of Congress, and works kind of like the traffic lights at a busy intersection for laws that lawmakers want to pass. They make sure that the traffic – in this case, the ideas for new laws – doesn’t get all jumbled up. ... »
Simple Definitions of Bills Imagine you want to build a treehouse in your neighborhood, and you need rules for everyone who wants to use it. A bill is like those rules you decide, but for the entire country. It’s a written idea that explains how people should act or what they can or can’t do. For a treehouse, rules might include no running or a certain number of people allowed at a tim... »
Definition A budget resolution is kind of like a family’s financial plan, but for the whole country. It’s what the U.S. Congress puts together every year to manage the country’s money. This plan says how much money the government should spend on things like schools, roads, and the army, and how much it expects to bring in from taxes. The budget resolution is not a law that the president need... »
Definition A Senator is like a team player in a group of 100 who have the job of making very important rules, or laws, that everyone in the country has to follow. These team players are chosen by the people living in each of the U.S. states to speak and make decisions on their behalf. The place where they work is called the Senate, and it’s one-half of the Congress—the law-making heart of th... »
Definition of Referendum A referendum is like a giant nation-wide decision where everyone of voting age can say yes or no to an important question that affects everyone. Imagine if your whole school got to vote on a new rule, like whether or not cell phones should be allowed during lunch; that’s what a referendum is like, but for a town, state, or country. Another way to think of a referendu... »
Definition of Propaganda Propaganda is a bit like a magician’s trick – it’s all about steering your attention so you see what someone wants you to see, and miss what they don’t want you to notice. It’s a way to share information, but in a sneaky way. It’s not always lies but can stretch the truth really thin. For the first simple definition: Propaganda is when someone... »
Introduction to Parliament Have you ever wondered how decisions in a country are made? Who decides which rules everyone must follow? This is where the concept of “Parliament” comes in. A parliament is a key place in many countries where elected officials come together to discuss and decide on laws. While the United States doesn’t use a parliament but has Congress instead, underst... »
Definition of Nominee A nominee is a person who has been selected to potentially hold a specific job, title, or award. Imagine you and your friends choose someone from your group to represent all of you in a school competition—that person is like a nominee. In U.S. politics, it gets a bit more detailed. A political nominee is someone chosen by a group, usually a political party, to run for an elec... »
Definition of Meritocracy Imagine a game where the players who put in the most effort and show the best skills win the most points. That’s what meritocracy is like. It is a system in which your hard work and talents are what help you succeed. The more you put into something, whether it’s studying for a test or doing your job, the more you get out of it in terms of rewards like good gra... »