Mark Twain famously said, “Loyalty to the nation all the time, loyalty to the government when it deserves it.” But even in the most polarized political climates, the government is more than just the faces of politicians you see on TV. There are more than 2 million employees of our government who toil every day to strengthen the foundation of our democratic society.

Think of this any time you drive on a highway or any time you pick up your mail: There is an untiring machine working for you, whose only aim is to make the lives of its citizens better, safer, and easier. Sometimes it falls well short of this goal—and this is when we take notice—but most of the time the government labors silently and without credit.

This issue is about how our government works, how it works for us, and the people who work for it. Our government is for the people, but it is also by the people, and we salute the men and women who spend their days in service of our country.

For the People Features

Volunteers
One-and-a-half million Americans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not one of them came home unchanged. Paul Rieckhoff introduces our profiles, which include original GOOD videos.

Outsider Politics
Mike Gravel was the earliest candidate in the history of presidential elections to announce his candidacy. After shaking things up at the first Democratic debate, he is polling around 1 percent. The funny thing is, he actually thinks he can win.

Waste Management
While the federal government dishes out voter-friendly tax cuts and goes on spending sprees abroad, the country’s top accountant says we’re racing toward a fiscal crisis. Who will bear the brunt? You. Meet your new best friends in Washington: the Government Accountability Office.

Polling and Rolling!
The Road to the Presidency Board Game.