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US Constitution final vocab
Government by the people brief edition 2008 vocab for ch. 9,11,14,15
119
Political Studies
Undergraduate 1
05/12/2009

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Term
parliamentary system
Definition
a system of gov't in which the legislature selects a prime minister or parliament
Term
presidential ticket
Definition
the joint listing of the prez and vp candidates on the same ballot as required by the 12th amendment
Term
vesting clause
Definition
the president's constitutional authority to control most executive functions
Term
treaty
Definition
a formal, public agreement b/t the US and one or more nations that must be approved by 2/3 Senate
Term
executive agreement
Definition
a formal agreement b/t the US prez and the leaders of other nations that does not require Senate approval
Term
congressional-executive agreement
Definition
a formal agreement b/t the US prez and leaders of other nations that requires approval by both houses on Congress.
Term
recess appointment
Definition
Prez appointment made w/o Senate confirmation during Senate recess.
Term
veto
Definition
a formal decision to reject a bill passed by Congress
Term
pocket veto
Definition
a formal decision to reject a bill passed by Congress after it adjourns- if Congress adjourns during the ten days that the prez gets before making a decision, then the veto stands with no chance of override.
Term
take care clause
Definition
the constitutional requirement (in Arlticle II, Section III) that prezs take care that the laws are faithfully executed, even if they disagree with the purpose of them
Term
inherent powers
Definition
powers that grow out of the very existence of gov't
Term
State of the Union Address
Definition
The Prez's annual statement to Congress and the nation.
Term
impeachment
Definition
A formal accusation against the prez or another public official; the first step in removal from office
Term
executive privilege
Definition
The right to keep executive communications confidential, especially if they relate to national security.
Term
executive orders
Definition
formal orders issued by the prez to direct action by the federal bureaucracy.
Term
impoundment
Definition
a decision b the prez not to spend money appropriated by Congress, now prohibited under federal law.
Term
line item veto
Definition
prez power to strike, or remove, specific items from a spending bill w/o vetoing the entire package; declared unconstitutional by the SC
Term
signing statements
Definition
a formal doct that explains why a prez is singing a particular bill into law. May contain objections and promises not to implement key sections
Term
chief of staff
Definition
the head of the White House staff
Term
Executive Office of the President
Definition
The cluster of prez staff agencies that help the prez carry out his responsibilities. Currently includes Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, etc.
Term
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
Definition
A prez staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for gov't agencies.
Term
cabinet
Definition
the advisory council for the prez, consisting of the heads of the executive departments, the VP, and a few other officials selected by the prez.
Term
presidential support score
Definition
the percentage of times a prez wins on key votes in Congress.
Term
mandate
Definition
a prez's claim of broad public support
Term
rally point
Definition
a rise in public approval of the prez that follows a crisis as Americans "rally 'round the flag" and the chief executive.
Term
adversary system
Definition
a judicial system in which the court of law is a neutral arena when two parties argue their diffs.
Term
criminal law
Definition
a law that defines crimes against the public order
Term
civil law
Definition
a law that governs relationships b/t indivs and defines their legal rights.
Term
defendant
Definition
in a criminal action, the person or party accused of an offense
Term
plea bargain
Definition
an agreement b/t a prosecutor and a defendant that the defendant will plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid having to stand trial for a more serious offense.
Term
justiciable dispute
Definition
a dispute growing out of an actual case or controversy that is capable of settlement by legal methods.
Term
plaintiff
Definition
the party investigating a civil lawsuit
Term
solicitor general
Definition
the 3rd-ranking official in the Dep of Justice who is responsible for representing the US in cases before the US SC.
Term
public defender system
Definition
an arrangement whereby public officials are hired to provide legal assistance to people accused of crimes who are unable to hire their own attorneys.
Term
original jurisdiction
Definition
the authority of a court to hear a case "in the first instance"
Term
appellate jurisdiction
Definition
the authority of a court to review decisions made by lower courts.
Term
court of appeals
Definition
a court with appellate jurisdiction that hears appeals from the decisions of lower courts.
Term
precedent
Definition
a decision made by a higher court such as a circuit court of appeals or the SC that is binding in all other federal courts.
Term
senatorial courtesy
Definition
the prez custom of submitting the names of prospective appointees for approval to senators from the states in which to appointee are to work.
Term
judicial activism
Definition
a philosophy proposing that judges should strike down laws that are inconsistent with norms and values stated or implied in the Constitution.
Term
judicial restraint
Definition
a philosophy proposing that judges should strike down the actions of the elected branches only if they clearly violate the literal meaning of the Const.
Term
writ of certiorari
Definition
a formal write used to bring a case before the SC
Term
in forma pauperis
Definition
a petition that allows a party to file "as a pauper" and avoid paying court fees.
Term
docket
Definition
the list of potential cases that reach the SC
Term
amicus curiae brief
Definition
" friend of the court" brief, filed by an indiv or organization to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to the case.
Term
opinion of the court
Definition
an explanation of a decision of the SC or any other appellate court
Term
dissenting opinion
Definition
an opinion disagreeing with the majority in a SC ruling.
Term
concurring opinion
Definition
an opinion that agrees with the maj in a SC ruling but differs on the reasoning
Term
stare decisis
Definition
the rule of precedent, whereby a rule of law contained in a judicial decision is commonly viewed as binding on judges whenever the same question is presented.
Term
public policy
Definition
a specific course of action that gov't takes to address a problem.
Term
distributive policy
Definition
a public policy such as Social Security that provides benefits to all groups in society.
Term
redistributive policy
Definition
policy that provides to one group of society while taking away benefits for another through policy tools such as tax increases to pay for job training.
Term
zero-sum games
Definition
policy that takes away exactly as much in benefits as another group gains.
Term
nondecision
Definition
a decision not to move ahead with the policy process. In short, it is a decision not to decide.
Term
policy agenda
Definition
the list of issues that the federal gov't pays attention to
Term
think tank
Definition
a nongov't organization that seeks to influence public policy through research and education
Term
issue-attention cycle
Definition

the movement of public opinion toward public policy from initial enthusiasm for action to realization of costs and a decline in interest.

Term
incremental policy
Definition
small adjustments to existing public policies
Term
punctuating policy
Definition
radical changes to public policies that occur only after the mobilization of large segments of society to demand action.
Term
iron triangle
Definition
a policy making instrument composed of a tightly related alliance of a congressional committee, interest groups, and federal department of agency.
Term
issue network
Definition
a policy making instrument composed of loosely related interest groups, congressional committee, prez aides, and other parties.
Term
regulation
Definition
policy that encourages or discourages certain behavior by imposing a legally-binding rule. Rules are made through a long process that begins with an act of Congress and ends with issuance of a final rule.
Term
rule
Definition
 precise statement of how a law is implemented
Term
fiscal policy
Definition
gov't policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending
Term
monetary policy
Definition
gov't policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.
Term
inflation
Definition
a rise in the general price level (and decrease in $ value) owing to an increase in the volume of $$ and credit in relation to available goods.
Term
unemployment
Definition
# of Americans who are out of work but actively looking for a job. The # does not usually include those who are not looking.
Term
stagflation
Definition
a combo of an economic slowdown (stagnation) and a rise in price (inflation).
Term
gross domestic product (GDP)
Definition
the value of all goods and services produced by an economy during a specific period of time such as a year.
Term
excise tax
Definition
a consumer tax on a specific kind of merchandise, such as tobacco
Term
budget deficit
Definition
the condition that exists when the federal gov't raises less revenue than it spends.
Term
tariff
Definition
a tax levied on imports to help protect a nation's industries, labor, or farmers from foreign competition. It can also be used to raise additional revenue.
Term
progressive tax
Definition
a tax graduated so that ppl with higher incomes pay a larger fraction of their income than ppl with lower incomes.
Term
regressive tax
Definition
tax whereby ppl with lower incomes pay a larger fraction of their income than ppl with higher incomes.
Term
national debt
Definition
the total amount of $$ the federal gov't has borrowed to finance deficit spending over the years.
Term
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Definition
An agency of Congress that analyzes prez budget recommendations and estimates the costs of proposed legislation.
Term
tax expenditure
Definition
a loss of tax revenue due to federal laws that provide special tax incentives or benefits to indivs or businesses.
Term
sales tax
Definition
a general tax on sales transactions, sometimes exempting such items such as food and drugs.
Term
value-added tax (VAT)
Definition
a tax on increased value of a product at each stage of production and distribution rather than just at the point of sale.
Term
Federal Reserve System
Definition
the system created by Congress in 1913 to estbl banking practices and regulate currency in circulation and the amount of credit available. It consists of 12 regional baks supervised by the Board of Governors. Often called the "Fed"
Term
federal funds rate
Definition
the amount of interest banks charge for loans to each other
Term
laissez-faire economics
Definition
a theory that opposed gov't interferences in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property.
Term
Keynesian economics
Definition
an eco theory based on the principles of John Maynard Keynes stating that gov't spending should increase during business slumps and be curbed during booms.
Term
protectionism
Definition
a policy of erecting trade barriers to protect domestic industry
Term
trade deficit
Definition
an imbalance in international trade in which the value of imports exceeds the value of exports
Term
World Trade Organization (WTO)
Definition
international organization derived from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that promotes free trade around the world.
Term
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
Definition
international trade organization with more than 130 members that seeks to encourage free trade by lowering tariffs and other trade restrictions.
Term
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Definition
agreement signed by US Mexico and Canade in 1992 to form the largest free trade zone in the world.
Term
monopoly
Definition
domination of an industry by a single company; also the company that dominates the industry
Term
antitrust legislation
Definition
federal laws that try to prevent a monopoly from dominating an industry and restraining trade.
Term
trust
Definition
a monopoly that controls goods and services, often in combos that reduce competition
Term
closed shop
Definition
a company with a labor agreement under which union membership is a condition of employment
Term
union shop
Definition
a company in which new employees must join a union within a stated period of time.
Term
labor injunction
Definition
a court order forbidding specific indivs or groups from performing certain acts (such as striking) that the court considers harmful to the rights and property of an employer or a community
Term
collective bargaining
Definition
a method whereby representatives of the union and employer determine wages, hours, and other conditions of employment through direct negotiations
Term
environmental impact statement
Definition
a statement required by federal law from all agencies for any project using federal funds to assess the potential effect of the new construction or development on the environment
Term
deregulation
Definition
a policy promoting cutbacks in the amount of federal regulation in specific areas of economic activity
Term
entitlements
Definition
programs which as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens
Term
means-tested entitlements
Definition
programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need.
Term
social safety net
Definition
the many programs that the federal gov't provides to protect Americans against eco and social misfortune
Term
public assistance
Definition
aid to the poor, welfare.
Term
social insurance
Definition
programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to gov't, usually in the form of payroll taxes
Term
Social Security
Definition
a combo of entitlement programs, paid for by employer and employee taxes, that includes retirement benefits, health insurance, and support for disabled workers and the children of deceased or disabled workers.
Term
Medicare
Definition
a national health insurance program for the elderly and disabled
Term
Medicaid
Definition
a federal program that provides medical benefits for low-income ppl
Term
realism
Definition
theory of international relations that focuses on the tendency of nations to operate from self-interest
Term
idealism
Definition
theory of international relations that focuses on the hope that nations will act together to solve international problems and promote peace
Term
isolationism
Definition
the desire to avoid international engagement alltogether
Term
internationalism
Definition
the belief that nations must engage in international problem solving
Term
unilateralism
Definition
a philosophy that encourages indiv nations to act on their own when facing threats from other nations.
Term
Bush Doctrine
Definition
a policy adopted by the Bush Admin in 2001 that asserts America's right to attack any nation that has weapons of mass destruction that may be used against US interests at home or abroad
Term
munilateralism
Definition
a philosphy that encourages indiv nations to act together to solve international problems
Term
preemption
Definition
a policy of taking action before the US is attacked rather than waiting for provocation
Term
weapons of mass destruction
Definition
biological, chemical, ornuclear weapons that can cause a massive # of deaths in a single use
Term
hard power
Definition
relliance on eco and military strength to solve international problems.
Term
soft power
Definition
reliance on diplomact and negotiation to solve international problems
Term
theory of deterrence
Definition
a theory that is based on creating enough military strength to persuade other nations not to attack first.
Term
normal trade relations
Definition
trade status granted as part of an international trade policy that gives a nation the same favorable trade concessions and tariffs that the best trading partners receive
Term
economic sanctions
Definition
denial of export, import, or financial relations with a target country in an effort to change that nation's policies.
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