Our promise
Our promise: facts, not sides
US Government Made Simple explains how government works. It never tells you what to think about it. These are the rules every page follows.
Explain how, never whether
We describe how government works and what the record says. We never say what should happen, who is right or how to vote.
A source for every fact
Every fact links to where it comes from, primary sources first. Anything that can change carries the date it was true.
The swap test
Swap the parties or people in any sentence, chart or picture. If it would read differently, we rewrite it.
The same frame for everyone
Comparable people and positions get the same fields, the same space and a neutral order, such as alphabetical or by date.
The words of the record
We use the official names of laws, offices and programs, define terms, and attribute any label one side uses.
Disagreement as a fact
When the record holds disagreement, such as a split vote, a dissent or a veto, we report that it exists and link to it, without picking a side.
No predictions, no grades
We don’t forecast outcomes, rate officials or endorse anyone.
Simple, not simplistic
We keep the qualifiers that change the truth, such as "in most states", and we say when rules vary.
Fixed in public
Each page shows when its facts were last checked. Substantive corrections are listed on the corrections page.
Independent
This site is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any government agency, and it does not promote any party or candidate.
Where facts come from
We use the highest tier of source that covers a fact.
The text itself: the Constitution, the U.S. Code, Senate and House rules, court opinions, state constitutions and statutes.
Government offices and their publications: usa.gov, congress.gov, senate.gov, house.gov, uscourts.gov, the National Archives, the FEC, the Census Bureau and state agencies.
Used only where official sources are silent, such as state-by-state counts: the Congressional Research Service, the National Conference of State Legislatures, Ballotpedia and similar references, cross-checked where possible.
How pages are checked
Every page shows the date its facts were last checked. The facts on this version were checked on November 4, 2026. Facts that change, such as counts of states, contribution limits or court rulings, carry the date they were true.
AI tools may help draft and organize pages. Facts and legal points need a person to verify them before a page is published.
Corrections
When we get something wrong, we fix it and list the change, with its date, on the corrections page.
What this site is not
It is not a government website, a legal service, a voter registration portal, an election authority or a live directory of current officeholders. Rules and officeholders change; check the official source and its date.