What does the word "federal" mean when we speak of the "federal government"?

Question

the topic came up in a discussion and we need to know.

any help is appreciated =]

Answer 1

Federal comes from the Latin word for "covenant" or "league,"  as in "federation."  It's a reference to the fact that each state has its own powers but the national government also has powers.

Answer 2

The federal government is the government of the United States,which derives all of its power by the granting of power from the state, who's power is intrensic.  These powers were granted to the federal government by the states in the constitution.  That being the case, the federal government has no power (legitimately) that is not enumerated in the constitution.

The Tenth Amendment to the Constituion specifically says that all powers not granted to the federal government in the Constitution are reserved to the states, or to the people.  Since about the 1930's, the federal government has been arrogating powers to itself that it has no right to.  The Tenth Amendment has been relegated to just being a wrong anwer on the bar exam. (Seriously, BARBRI actually teaches that if you see the tenth amendment on any bar exam, its a wrong answer).

This being the case, we really don't have a federal government anymore.  We are ruled by an empire, as the vassel states that we have become.  I find it to be more accurate to refer to the putative federal government as the Imperial Government.

But I digress, this is getting further from the question you posed.  

The Federal Government is the government that does the business of all the people in common cause, such as national defense.  It is headed by the President (currently George W. Bush) as the Executive, by Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate) as the legislature, and by the Federal Courts (Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, and District Courts) for the Judicial.

Under the Executive Branch, the are Departments such as Defense, the State Department (which conducts foreign policy), Department of Education (which has never really educated anybody), Department of Homeland Security (Immigration, Customs and Border Patrol, TSA, ect.).  These departments report to the Secretary of each department, who in turn reports to the President.

Answer 3

The federal government of the United States is the centralized United States governmental body established by the United States Constitution. The federal government has three branches: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. Through a system of separation of powers or "checks and balances", each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, some authority to regulate the other two branches, and has some of its own authority, in turn, regulated by the other branches. The policies of the federal government have a broad impact on both the domestic and foreign affairs of the United States. In addition, the powers of the federal government as a whole are limited by the Constitution, which leaves a great deal of authority to the individual states.

The seat of the federal government is in the federal district of Washington, D.C.

Answer 4

it's Big Brother!

as in not State Government.

Answer 5

wikipedia

Answer 6

Entire country.