By Zibora Gilder Feeling like too many people missed out on Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill” or Yellow Pain’s rap on the branches of government? Here’s a refresher on how our government works and why your vote is vital in shaping our lives, especially in light of recent events in Texas. There are three branches of government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. The Executive Branch, including the President, governors, and mayors, is responsible for enforcing laws and managing public affairs. The Legislative Branch, comprising Senators, Congress members, and City Councils, creates laws that impact our daily lives, from social security benefits to healthcare. The Judicial Branch, which includes the Supreme Court, interprets laws and ensures they are constitutional. A lot of anger is often aimed at the President and local officials like the mayor and governor. However, they don’t create laws; they enforce them. For change to happen, it’s essential to pay attention to the Legislative Branch. Legislators make decisions on vital issues such as healthcare, education, and economic policies (rules that influence the economy, like taxes and government spending). For example, they decide on social security benefits, maternal health policies (critical because Black women face alarmingly high childbirth mortality rates), decriminalization of marijuana, and funding for schools in minority communities. The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo overturned the 40-year-old practice of deferring to agencies’ reasonable interpretations of ambiguous federal laws. This means agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may now have less power to enforce regulations. Companies, including those that have contributed millions to Supreme Court justices, could have more influence over decisions that were once guided by expert agencies. This is a significant shift, potentially affecting how environmental and public health policies are enforced. In Texas, the local government delayed requests for disaster relief funding, leaving millions without electricity. Meanwhile, Governor Abbott, elected multiple times to a position without term limits, was out of the country. His appointee, Dan Patrick, also took his time responding. Policies and procedures are in place to handle such crises, yet local government actions have repeatedly […]
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