Executive Branch

Cabinet

The president's advisers. This comprised the heads of the executive branch departments as an official organization within the presidency. This, however, is not mentioned in the Constitution.

Impeach

House of Representatives bring official charges against any member of the executive or judicial branch of government accused of misconduct.

Electoral College

A group of persons called electors who officially elect the president and vice president.

Bureaucracy

An organization structured hierarchically, a pyramid-like fashion where everybody (except the person at the top) reports to another person. This allows to person to concentrate on their area of expertise.

Veto

Refusal of an executive leader to sign a bill into law

Primaries

Party nominating elections. They can be open or closed depending on the state.

Fiscal Policy

Responsibility of the Presidency and Congress that involves the adjustment of taxing and spending to control the nation's economy.

Monetary policy

Regulating the amount of money in circulation to control the economy. Responsibility of the Federal Reserve.

State of the Union Address

Speech given to Congress and Americans by the President that reports the health of the nation and its concerns on both domestic and foreign issues.

Pardon

The power of the governor of a state or the President of the United States to excuse a penalty for a criminal offense.

foreign policy

A nation's overall plan for dealing with other nations

Embargo

an agreement among a group of nations that prohibits them all from trading with a target nation

Trade Sanctions

an effort to punish another nation by imposing trade barriers

national security

the ability to keep the country safe from attack or harm

Executive Order

rule or command issued by the president that has the force of law but is not as strong as a law passed by legislature.

Ambassador

an official representative of a country's government

Civil Service System

This system hires individuals into government jobs based on open, competitive exams and their qualifications, also known as the merit System

Spoils System

rewarding people with government jobs on the basis of their political support

Political Appointee

a person appointed to a federal position by the president

Tax

A mandatory payment to the government used to fund public services and programs

Progressive Tax

A tax system where the tax rate increases as income increases (e.g., income tax)

Regressive Tax

A tax system in which lower-income individuals pay a higher percentage of their income than higher-income individuals.

Flat Tax

a tax system in which all people pay the same percentage of their income, regardless of their earnings.

Deficit

When government expenditures exceeds revenues in a given year

Surplus

When government revenues exceed expenditures in a given year.

national debt

The total amount the government owes accumulated over time due to deficits

Subsidy

Financial assistance the government provides to support specific industries or activities, (e.g. agriculture, renewable energy)

Inflation

The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising. reducing purchasing power

Excise Tax

A tax on specific goods, such as gasoline, tobacco, or alcohol

Tariff

A tax on imports or exports, often used to protect domestic industries . The cost is passed to comsumers.