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==IV. “Federal”==

==IV. “Federal”==

[[The Constitution]] set up our [[federal]] [[government]]. What does “ [[federal]] ” mean? In this context, it means national: the [[United States of America|United States]] [[government]] headquartered in [[Washington, D.C.]] [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[George W. Bush]]. [[Congressman|Congressmen]]. [[Senator]]s. [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. The [[people]] you often see on [[television]] or in the [[newspaper]]. These terms have the same meaning: “national [[government]],” “ [[federal]] [[government]],” and “[[United States of America|United States]] [[government]].” They are completely different from “[[state]] [[government]],” and “[[city]] [[government]]” or “[[local government]].”

[[The Constitution]] set up our [[federal]] [[government]]. What does “[[federal]]” mean? In this context, it means national: the [[United States of America|United States]] [[government]] headquartered in [[Washington, D.C.]] [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[George W. Bush]]. [[Congressman|Congressmen]]. [[Senator]]s. [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. The [[people]] you often see on [[television]] or in the [[newspaper]]. These terms have the same meaning: “national [[government]],” “ [[federal]] [[government]],” and “[[United States of America|United States]] [[government]].” They are completely different from “[[state]] [[government]],” and “[[city]] [[government]]” or “[[local government]].”

The first [[political parties|political party]] in the [[country]] was the “[[Federalist Party]]”. It stood for a stronger [[federal]] [[government]]. [[Alexander Hamilton]] founded it to help pass his program of a national [[bank]] and assumption by the [[federal]] [[government]] of all the [[war]] [[debt]]s. He used it to impose a [[federal]] [[alcoholic drink|liquor]] [[tax]], which resulted in [[the Whiskey Rebellion]] in 1794. Look up the term “[[Federalist Party]]” on page 307 in the textbook.

The first [[political parties|political party]] in the [[country]] was the “[[Federalist Party]]”. It stood for a stronger [[federal]] [[government]]. [[Alexander Hamilton]] founded it to help pass his program of a national [[bank]] and assumption by the [[federal]] [[government]] of all the [[war]] [[debt]]s. He used it to impose a [[federal]] [[alcoholic drink|liquor]] [[tax]], which resulted in [[the Whiskey Rebellion]] in 1794. Look up the term “[[Federalist Party]]” on page 307 in the textbook.

Do you know the difference between [[federal]] and [[state]] [[government]]? Look in your [[telephone|phone]] book. You’ll see they are usually listed in separate [[category|categories]]. Let’s take some examples. Who handles drivers licenses? ([[state]]) [[Social Security]]? ( [[federal]] ) [[Sales tax]] on [[computer]]s? (state) [[Sales tax]] on [[gasoline|gas]]? (both [[federal]] and [[state]] are included in the [[price]] at the pump) [[Public schools]]? (local) [[United States Postal Service |Post office]]? ( [[federal]] ) Libraries? (local) [[Army]]? (federal) Security guards at [[airport]]s? (mostly [[federal]] now, due to [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]]) Traffic [[court]]? (local) [[Police]]? (local) Imagine you want to start a [[business]] and [[trademark]] the name of your [[business]]. Who controls [[trademark]]s? (mostly [[federal]] , see http://www.uspto.gov/, [[state]]s can also protect [[business]] names)

Do you know the difference between [[federal]] and [[state]] [[government]]? Look in your [[telephone|phone]] book. You’ll see they are usually listed in separate [[category|categories]]. Let’s take some examples. Who handles drivers licenses? ([[state]]) [[Social Security]]? ( [[federal]] ) [[Sales tax]] on [[computer]]s? (state) [[Sales tax]] on [[gasoline|gas]]? (both [[federal]] and [[state]] are included in the [[price]] at the pump) [[Public schools]]? (local) [[United States Postal Service |Post office]]? ( [[federal]] ) Libraries? (local) [[Army]]? (federal) Security guards at [[airport]]s? (mostly [[federal]] now, due to [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]]) Traffic [[court]]? (local) [[Police]]? (local) Imagine you want to start a [[business]] and [[trademark]] the name of your [[business]]. Who controls [[trademark]]s? (mostly [[federal]] , see http://www.uspto.gov/, [[state]]s can also protect [[business]] names)

How about this one: what is [[Federal Express]]? They deliver overnight packages, guaranteed. Is it part of the [[federal]] [[government]]? Nope. It is completely private. They use the name “ [[federal]] ” to make them look official. They have nothing to do with the [[government]].

How about this one: what is [[Federal Express]]? They deliver overnight packages, guaranteed. Is it part of the [[federal]] [[government]]? Nope. It is completely private. They use the name “[[federal]]” to make them look official. They have nothing to do with the [[government]].

When you see [[government]] officials, think of whether they are [[federal]] or not. Why does it matter?  

When you see [[government]] officials, think of whether they are [[federal]] or not. Why does it matter?  

Second, if you ever reach the right person on the [[telephone|phone]], you need to know what you say. What are your [[rights]]? What are the [[government]]’s [[obligation]]s? [[federal]] officials must comply with [[federal]] [[law]], while [[state]] and local officials must also comply with specific [[obligation]]s imposed by [[state]] [[law]]. The [[law]]s are completely different from each other. [[federal]] [[law]] is in the United States Code. The cites to it look like “[[17 U.S.C. § 107]]” (this section allows fair use of [[copyright]]ed material). [[State]] [[law]] is in an entirely separate code book. The cites to it include an abbreviation of the [[state]], as in “N.J.S.A. § 18A:35-4.7” (this section allows [[New Jersey]] [[parents]] to pull their [[children]] out of certain courses in [[public school]]).

Second, if you ever reach the right person on the [[telephone|phone]], you need to know what you say. What are your [[rights]]? What are the [[government]]’s [[obligation]]s? [[federal]] officials must comply with [[federal]] [[law]], while [[state]] and local officials must also comply with specific [[obligation]]s imposed by [[state]] [[law]]. The [[law]]s are completely different from each other. [[federal]] [[law]] is in the United States Code. The cites to it look like “[[17 U.S.C. § 107]]” (this section allows fair use of [[copyright]]ed material). [[State]] [[law]] is in an entirely separate code book. The cites to it include an abbreviation of the [[state]], as in “N.J.S.A. § 18A:35-4.7” (this section allows [[New Jersey]] [[parents]] to pull their [[children]] out of certain courses in [[public school]]).

Third, if you’re thinking about working for [[government]], you need to know who to apply to. Don’t apply to [[state]] [[government]] for a [[job]] at the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]]. It’s [[federal]] . Don’t apply to [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] for a [[job]] as a [[public school]] [[teacher]].

Third, if you’re thinking about working for [[government]], you need to know who to apply to. Don’t apply to [[state]] [[government]] for a [[job]] at the [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]]. It’s [[federal]]. Don’t apply to [[President of the United States of America|President]] [[George W. Bush|Bush]] for a [[job]] as a [[public school]] [[teacher]].

There are other differences between [[federal]] and [[state]] [[government]]. [[federal]] [[job]]s often pay better and are more secure. They are backed by [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]] [[tax]] collections of the [[United States of America|United States]]. They often work in bigger and nicer buildings. One summer I worked in a [[federal]] building in [[Washington D.C.|D.C.]], and it was so big that one employee used the hallways as a track for jogging!

There are other differences between [[federal]] and [[state]] [[government]]. [[federal]] [[job]]s often pay better and are more secure. They are backed by [[Internal Revenue Service|IRS]] [[tax]] collections of the [[United States of America|United States]]. They often work in bigger and nicer buildings. One summer I worked in a [[federal]] building in [[Washington D.C.|D.C.]], and it was so big that one employee used the hallways as a track for jogging!