US Government & Politics: Key Terms and Concepts
Constituents
People a member of Congress represents
Apportionment
Distribution of representatives among the states based on the population of each state
Appropriation
A legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency
Impeachment
A formal document charging a public official with misconduct in office
Oversight
Congressional review of the activities of a judicial or executive agency, department, or office.
Necessary and proper clause
Gives Congress the powers to pass all laws necessary to carry out their constitutional duties; (Art. I)
Indirect tax
A tax levied on goods or services rather than on persons or organizations (sales tax)
direct tax:
A tax that must be paid by the person on whom it is levied(income tax)
A tax that must be paid by the person on whom it is levied(income tax)
Deficit
An excess of federal expenditures over federal revenues
Commerce clause
The clause in the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations.
Subpoenas
Legal documents that require a person to testify in a certain matter
Writ of habeas corpus
A court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding the person(protects basic civil rights)
Bill of attainder
A legislative act finding a person guilty of treason or felony without a trial
Ex post facto laws
Laws that punish conduct that was not illegal when it was performed. These laws are always unconstitutional.
Administration
All the people who work in the executive branch
Executive office of the president
Top administrators appointed by the president who help him formulate policy
White house office
Consists of the president’s key personal and political staff
Chief of staff
Person appointed by the president to manage the white house office
National security Council
Coordinates U.S national security policy
Council of Economic Advisors
Created by congress to help president with economic strategy policy
Office of management and budget part of the EOP to help develop the federal budget headed a director appointed by the president and confirmed by congress.
Executive departments
In charge of carrying out laws, administering programs,
Chief Executive
President’s role to see the government’s programs being carried out and that laws passed by congress are implemented
Commander in chief
Head of the nation’s military
Foreign policy
President’s job of formulating plans and deals with other nations
Diplomacy
The art of negotiating with foreign governments
Chief of state
President’s role of symbolic figurehead of the nation
Succession
The process of coming after the president, or succeeding him
Executive orders
A formal rule instructing executive officials how to carry out their jobs
Executive privilege
Power of a president that allows him to deny the release of info. To congress or to court.
Diplomatic recognition
The power to formally recognize the legitimacy of a foreign government.
reprieve postpones the carrying out of a sentence
Pardon
Releases a convicted criminal from a full sentence
Amnesty
Grants a group of offenders a general pardon for offenses committed
Commute
To reduce a person’s sentence
Bureaucracy
A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials
Bureaucrats
Government officials
Civil service
A system of hiring and promotion based on the merit principle and the desire to create a nonpartisan government service.
spoils system: A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.
Independent agencies
Government agencies that operate separately from the executive departments
Independent executive agencies
Agencies that oversee and manage a specific aspect of the federal government.
Independent regulatory commissions
Agency that regulates some aspect of the economy
Bipartisan
Supported by two political parties
Government corporations
Corporation set up and run by the government; provides a service to the public (ex. US Postal Service)
Income tax
A tax on people’s earnings
Progressive tax:
A tax for which the percentage of income paid in taxes increases as income increases
Payroll tax:
money that is withheld from a person’s paycheck by his or her employer.
Regressive tax
A tax for which the percentage of income paid in taxes decreases as income increases
Proportional tax
A tax in which the average tax rate is the same at all income levels.
Bond
A financial security that represents a promise to repay a fixed amount of funds
Federal debt
All the money borrowed by the federal government over the years and still outstanding
Mandatory spending
Required govt spending by permanent laws
Discretionary spending
Federal spending on programs that are controlled through the regular budget process
Fiscal policy
Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending.
Monetary policy
Government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates.