Ch. 5 and 6 Vocab Econ

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.

Cabinet

Group of officials who head government departments and advise the President.

Electoral College

A constitutionally required process for selecting the president through slates of electors chosen in each state, who are pledged to vote for a nominee in the presidential election.

Executive Agreement

An agreement between a president and another nation that does not require Senate ratification.

Executive Branch

The institution responsible for carrying out laws passed by the legislative branch.

Executive Office of the President

A collection of offices within the White House organization designed mainly to provide information to the president.

Executive Order

Policy directives issued by presidents that do not require congressional approval.

Executive Privilege

A right claimed by presidents to keep certain conversations, records, and transcripts confidential from outside scrutiny.

Formal (or Enumerated) Powers

Powers explicitly granted to the national government through the Constitution.

Going Public

A tactic through which presidents reach out directly to the American people to put pressure on their representatives.

Impeachment

Charges issued by the House of Representatives against a federal official for committing high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

Informal Powers

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

Lame Duck Period

Period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives.

Line-item Veto

An executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature.

Pocket Veto

An informal veto caused when the president does not sign a bill within ten days during a congressional adjournment.

Presidential Pardon

Presidential authority to forgive an individual and set aside punishment for a crime.

Signing Statement

Text issued by presidents while signing a bill into law, often including political statements or interpretations of the law.

State of the Union Address

The annual speech from the president to Congress updating that branch on national affairs.

Treaty

An agreement with a foreign government that requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate to ratify.

Veto

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

Veto Message

A statement sent to Congress by the president giving reasons for vetoing a bill.

War Powers Resolution

A law that restricts the president's power to maintain troops in combat for more than sixty days without congressional authorization.

White House Office

The personal office of the president, managing political needs and media.

Appropriation

Money that Congress has allocated to be spent.

Bureaucrat

An official employed within a government bureaucracy.

Bureaucratic Adjudication

When the federal bureaucracy settles disputes over the implementation of federal laws.

Bureaucratic Discretion

The power to decide how a law is implemented and interpret Congressional intent.

Bureaucratic Imperialism

The tendency of agencies to expand their program responsibilities.

Department of Homeland Security

Cabinet department created to coordinate domestic security efforts post-9/11.

Discretionary Authority

The ability of officials to make policies not spelled out in advance by laws.

Federal Bureaucracy

The departments and agencies within the executive branch that carry out national laws.

Federal Civil Service

The merit-based bureaucracy, excluding armed forces and political appointments.

Implementation

The role of the bureaucracy in putting into action laws passed by Congress.

Iron Triangle

Coordinated activities of the bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups to achieve policy goals.

Issue Network

Webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and advocates.

Merit System

A system of hiring based on competitive testing results and qualifications.

Pendleton Act

Act that created the first U.S. Civil Service Commission for rules on hiring and promotion.

Political Patronage

Filling administrative positions as a reward for support rather than merit.

Red Tape

Complex bureaucratic rules and procedures that must be followed to get something done.

Regulation

The process through which the federal bureaucracy makes rules with the force of law.

Spoils System

The practice of giving public office to supporters of a successful political party.

Trust Fund

Special account that holds revenues designated for specific expenditures.