Government

The idea of a democracy, in which each citizen gets an equal vote to contribute to decision making, can sound tempting. But in practice, is democracy an efficient way to govern, or does it just equate to mob rule?

By Josh Clark

In tough economic times, you might be tempted to classify health insurance as a luxury -- and decide to get rid of the expense. But health insurance is one thing that should remain in your budget no matter how bad things get. How can you find the right plan?

By Molly Edmonds

Shopping for shoes, books and private yachts is fun; shopping for health insurance is not. But don't despair. The good news is that it's getting much, much easier -- and putting in the work of buying insurance is far preferable to dealing with sky-high medical bills.

By Molly Edmonds

An ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure, but Americans seem to forget that when it comes to health care. Most of us just wait to see the doctor when we're already sick. Could changes to preventive services coverage convince more of us to go?

By Molly Edmonds

When you make a large purchase, such as a car, you do a little comparison shopping, looking at different features and prices until you find the perfect fit. You can't do that with the health insurance market. At least, not until now.

By Molly Edmonds

U.S. health care reform didn't happen without a firestorm of controversy. With all the hubbub surrounding the bill, the actual contents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are still a mystery to many -- maybe even you.

By Molly Edmonds

Each state has its own head of the executive branch of government -- the state governor. But what does a state governor actually do, and how does he or she shape the lives of citizens within his or her state?

By Patrick E. George

If the governor passes away or resigns, the lieutenant governor takes over the position. But outside acting as a stand-in for such an event, what does the lieutenant governor do?

By Patrick J. Kiger

The attorney general of United States is our country's legal counsel. He or she advises the president and the heads of executive departments. What else does this person do?

By Sarah Winkler

People know who the U.S. secretary of state is and probably something about what he or she does. But did you know states have them, too? How is their role in local government different?

By Stephanie Crawford

Despite some confusion about its spelling, the required duties of a state comptroller are quite clear: These money managers oversee state budgets, pay state employees, manage pensions and more.

By Stephanie Watson

In the U.S., the state treasurer acts as the state's chief banker and money manager. Some treasurers, however, use the office as a stepping stone to bigger and better things.

By Dave Roos

The U.S. government -- and every state in the Union -- takes in billions of dollars in tax money every year. When you have that kind of money coming in, it's easy to act recklessly. Luckily, auditors general track all these funds and make sure they're spent responsibly.

By Ed Grabianowski

Would you like to know how much your house is worth? Do you want to make sure that new shed will add value to your home before you build it? County assessors help property owners in a given county determine its value -- and, in turn, the county's property tax rate.

By Josh Clark

If you've ever gotten married, had a child or really, ever been born, your vital records have made their way over to the county clerk's office. Could you work as a county clerk and maintain all that paperwork?

By Josh Clark

You've probably seen countless legal series on television that depict large teams of attorneys representing the state. But who's the big shot in charge of those lawyers? The State's Attorney, that's who.

By Lawrence Schumacher

The county commission is the oldest form of government in the U.S. and is still common in many regions of the country. What tasks does a board of commissioners usually oversee?

By John Kelly

Even a mayor whose job is mostly symbolic can have a lot of pull when it comes to running a city. Where does a mayor's power come from -- and does it go all the way up to the national level?

By Christopher Neiger

In a big city, it would be almost impossible to make decisions and solve problems by letting the entire population vote on every issue. One solution: the city council.

By Eric Baxter

In local government, officials elected to represent districts may be called aldermen, a very old term that dates back to the Anglo-Saxon days. What exactly is an alderman?

By Josh Briggs

If you've ever butted heads with your insurance company to get a surgery covered, you understand why the U.S. is pursuing health care reform. But if you're happy with your coverage, you might wonder why the government is trying to change it.

By Molly Edmonds

In the arguments about U.S. health care reform, you'll often hear a country held up as the worst or best example of what health care can be. What is health care like around the globe?

By Molly Edmonds

If you've been watching the news or using social media, you've seen angry protesters, town hall free-for-alls and red-faced pundits -- all irate over the issue of health care reform. A lot of the hullabaloo is about "facts" that are just plain myths.

By Maria Trimarchi & Molly Edmonds

Whether you indignantly objected when Fox canceled "Firefly" or marched around your nation's capital hoping for change, you're a protester. But would you stop paying your taxes to voice your displeasure? Would you face down a tank?

By Robert Lamb

Want to see a party turn into an all-out brawl? Invite people of differing political views and bring up abortion. But for such a controversial topic, many people often know surprisingly little about the procedure behind the politics.

By Molly Edmonds