APGOV U3

why do we have a national debt?

each yr, the national govt spends more than they generate in tax revenue, so they have to borrow to make up the difference

how does the govt make money

by issuing and selling treasury bonds to investors. The national govt promises to pay the money back at a future date and plus interest

who do we owe?

anyone who has purchased us treasury bonds

budget

annual plan of the amount of money that is expected to spent on federal programs and the amount of revenue that is expected to be generated in federal taxes in the upcoming yr

balanced budget

spending and tax revenue are equal

budget deficit

spending exceeds tax revenue

budget surplus

tax revenue exceeds spending

the federal deficit

the annual amount of our "overspending" (spending exceeds tax revenue) The national debt is the result of our deficit spending over time. Each new deficit adds to the existing debt

mandatory spending

spending that is not dependent on periodic appropiations bills from congress. This spending can't be easily changed because it fulfills promises of the past

discretionary spending

spending that requires an appropriations bill from congress. The pres and congress have more control over this, so it vary from yr to yr

Marco Rubio

secretary of state

Scott Bessent

secretary of treasury

pete hegseth

secretary of defense

Pam Bondi

Attorney General

Formal or enumerated powers

powers expressly granted in the Constitution

Informal powers

powers not laid out in the Constitution but used to carry out presidential duties

Treaty

an agreement with a foreign government negotiated by the president and requiring a two thirds vote in the senate to ratify

State of the Union Address

the annual speech from the president to Congress updating that branch on the state of national affairs

Veto

formal rejection by the president of a bill that has passed both houses of Congress

Pocket veto

an informal veto caused when the president chooses not to sign a bill within ten days, during a time when Congress has adjourned at the end of a session

Presidential pardon

presidential authority to release individuals convicted of a crime from legal consequences and set aside punishment for a crime

Executive privilege

a right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny, especially that of Congress

Executive agreement

an agreement between a president and another nation that does not have the same durability as a treaty but does not require senate ratification

Signing statement

written comments issued by presidents while signing a bill into law that usually consist of political statements or reasons for signing the bill but that may also include a president's interpretation of the law itself

Executive order

policy directives issued by presidents that do not require congressional approval

War powers resolution

a law passed over President Nixon's veto that restricts the power of the president to maintain troops in combat for more than sixty days without congressional authorization

Impeachment

the process of removing a president from office, with articles of impeachment issued by a majority vote in the House of Representative, followed by a trial in the Senate with a two thirds vote necessary to convict and remove

Executive Office of the President (EOP)

a collection of offices within the White House organization designed mainly to provide information to the President

Bargaining and persuasion

an informal tool used by the president to persuade members of congress to support his or her policy initiatives

Bully pulpit

presidential appeals to the public to pressure other branches of government to support his or her policies

Going public

a tactic through which presidents reach out directly to the American people with the hope that the people will, in turn, put pressure upon their representatives and senators to press for a president's policy goals

executive office of the President (EOP)

consists of individuals and agencies that directly assist the President

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

assists the president in preparing the national budget

the council of economic advisors

helps the president formulate the nation's economic policy

national security council (NSC)

advises the president and helps to coordinate military, national security, and foreign policy iniatives

White House Office (WHO)

the president's personal staff; chief of staff, senior advisors, press secretary, White House counsel (attorney), speech writers, etc.

US DOGE Service

has a goal of making federal govt more efficient

chief executive

-makes sure that the laws and court rulings of the US are carried

-appoints secretaries of 15 debts and appoints directors of dozens of agencies that assist him

-can issue executive orders to agencies/depts

-can offer mercy or clemency for federal crimes

chief diplomat

-has a key role in relations with other countries

-can sign treaties and executive agreements with other countries

-can extend diplomatic recognition to other countries

-appoints US ambassadors (including sec. of state) who serve at US embassies around the world

Commander in Chief

-can order air strikes and can send troops to other countries when necessary(only Congress can declare war)

-makes key military decisions (troop levels, strategy, hire/fire generals, withdraw troops, etc)

-can order a nuclear attack via the "nuclear football"

Chief Legislator

-proposes ideas for legislation, but it is up to congress to pass bills

-explains his legislative agenda each year to congress in a state of the Union Address

-meets with congressional leaders and uses the 'Bully Pulpit" to persuade reps/sens votes on bills

-signs bills into law or rejects them

head of state

-not just a govt official, he serves as the ceremonial head of our country

-performs many ceremonial duties

party leader

-is viewed as the leader of his political party, so his popularity impacts others in his party

-other members of his party "ride his coattails" to victory or defeat

-hosts fundraisers and campaigns for others of his party

economic planner

-americans expect the president to propose measures to fix our economic problems

-proposes the federal budget each year, but congress must approve it

bureaucrat

an official employed within a government bureaucracy

political patronage

Filling of administration positions as a reward for support, rather than solely on merit

Pendleton act

an act of Congress that created the first United States Civil Service Commission to draw up and enforce rules on hiring, promotion, and tenure of office within the civil service (also known as Civil Service Reform Act of 1883)

federal civil service

the merit-based bureaucracy, excluding the armed forces and political appointments

merit system

a system of hiring and promotion based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifications rather than politics and personal connections

iron triangle

coordinated and mutually beneficial activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve shared policy goals

issue network

webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates

Implementation

the bureaucracy's role in putting into action the laws that Congress has passed

bureaucratic discretion

the power to decide how a law is implemented and to decide what Congress meant when it passed a law

regulation

the process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules that have the force of law, to carry out the laws passed by Congress

bureaucratic adjudication

when the federal bureaucracy settles disputes between parties that arise over the implementation of federal laws or determines which individuals or groups are covered under a regulation or program