Executive Branch and Presidential Powers

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the powers and functions of the executive branch and the presidency, important terms and concepts necessary for understanding presidential authority, legislative interactions, and bureaucratic structures.

Veto

The president's power to reject a bill becoming law that does not align with their political agenda.

Chief Legislator

The role of the president in influencing laws through veto power, budget proposals, and the State of the Union address.

Pocket Veto

A bill that dies because the president does not act on it during a 10-day period while Congress is adjourned.

Commander in Chief

The president's role as head of the military forces, with the power to conduct war, but not declare it.

Executive Order

A directive from the president with the force of federal law, requiring no Congressional approval.

Executive Privilege

The right of the president to withhold confidential information from judicial and legislative oversight.

Impeachment

The process by which the House charges the president with misconduct, followed by a Senate trial.

Bully Pulpit

The president's ability to influence public opinion and pressure Congress through visibility and power.

Lame Duck Period

The time after a new president is elected but before they take office, when the current president remains.

War Powers Resolution

Legislation requiring the president to report to Congress within 48 hours of introducing troops into a hostile situation.

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

Agencies and offices that support the president's daily operations.

Iron Triangle

A stable relationship between a bureaucratic agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group to shape policy.

Merit System

A system replacing the Spoils System, hiring based on qualifications rather than political loyalty.

Bureaucratic Discretion

The power of agencies to decide how to enforce laws and regulations.

Pendleton Act

An 1883 law that established the merit-based system for federal employment, replacing the spoils system.

Freedom of Information Act

A law that allows the public to request access to government records.