Most people think that politics is for adults.  Right? 

How many of you agree with these statements:

• I'm not old enough to vote so I can't have a say in things.
• Sometimes it feels like you need a university degree in 'big words' to understand what the politicians are saying.
• I see it on TV all the time, the politicians just argue with each other and they never listen to one another.
• It's just all too boring, even politicians have fallen asleep during parliament.

Well, you're right!  You can't vote right now but is voting the only way for a politician to 'hear' you?    And, yes, big words are often used and it can be confusing but does that mean you can't learn what the words mean? Sure, the TV shows lots of vision of politicians debating with other politicians but have you ever tried convincing someone who sees things differently to you?  And boring... well, some people believe that the reason anyone finds anything boring is because they don't know a whole lot about the subject.

That's where knowledge about government comes in.  By knowing about the way a government works, how it is made up and what responsibilities it has then you can start to be an active citizen.  This Learning Quest will help you understand the responsibilities of the different levels of government - Federal, State and Local - so that you can start being more aware of the roles that government plays in your life.