General Debate Vocab JHHS

Tariffs

Taxes imposed on imported goods to protect domestic industries by making foreign products more expensive.

Executive Branch

The part of the government responsible for enforcing laws, headed by the President. It also includes the Vice President and Cabinet members.

Jurisdiction

The authority given to a court to hear and decide cases within a specific area of law or geography.

Amend

To make changes or additions to a law, document, or policy, typically to improve it or incorporate new information.

Ilicit

Not permitted: Unlawful

Subsequent

Following in time, order, or place

Contingent

Dependent on or conditioned by something else

Subsidies

A grant or gift of money

For-profit

Established, maintained, or conducted for the purpose of making a profit

Nonprofit

Not conducted or maintained for the purpose of making a profit

Constituency

A constituency refers to the body of citizens and the specific geographic district that a member of congress is elected to represent. Each representative serves a distinct local population, linking legislative debates directly back to the local interests of their home area.

Fiscal year

An accounting period of 12 months

Revenue

The total income generated by a business from selling goods or services before deducting any expenses

Profit

The amount of money a business retains after all costs, expenses, and taxes are subtracted from total revenue

Income

Money or value received by an individual or business over a period of time, typically in exchange for work, goods, or investment capital

Bonds

Fixed-income loans made by investors to corporate or government borrowers in exchange for regular interest payments and full principal repayment at maturity

Return on Investment (ROI)

A performance metric that measures the percentage gain or loss generated on an investment relative to its initial cost

Appropriations

Statutory acts of Congress that official set aside and authorize the spending of public federal funds for specific government programs and agencies

Corporate Income Tax

A direct levy imposed by federal or state governments on the net profits generated by corporations within a specific tax year

Sanctions

Commercial, financial, or political penalties imposed by one or more countries against a targeted nation to coerce a change in behavior or deter aggression without using direct military force

Referendum

The principle or practice of submitting to popular vote a measure passed on or proposed by a legislative body or by popular initiative

Incentive

An expectation of reward or punishment designed to influence the economic or social behavior of individuals, corporations, or states

Contingent

Subject to change by depending on or being conditioned by something else

Import

To bring from a foreign or external source

Export

To carry or send something to a foreign nation

Sourcing

The strategic process of identifying, evaluating, and selecting essential goods from external suppliers

Audit

An official inspection of an individual's or organization's accounts, typically by an independent body

Income tax surcharge

An additional tax levied on top of an existing income tax rate, typically targeted at high-income earners or specific luxury activities, calculated as a percentage of the base tax owed rather than a percentage of total income

Consecutive

following one after the other in order

Income tax liability

The total dollar amount of income tax a legal entity (individual or corporation) is legally obligated to pay to a government authority for a given tax year, calculated after applying all deductions, exemptions, and non-refundable tax credits.

Intellectual property

Creations of the human intellect, such as inventions, literary works, and designs, that are legally protected from unauthorized use through patents, copyrights, and trademarks

Municipal

Relating to a town, city, or village including its local government

Stipend

A fixed sum of money paid periodically for services or to defray expenses

Bureaucracy

A system of managing government through departments run by appointed or elected officials

Patent

A legal right granted by a government to an inventor giving them the authority to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing a specific creation

Domestic

Existing, originating, or conducted within the borders of a specific home country, rather than internationally

Sales Tax

A tax imposed by state or local governments on the sale of goods and services, collected by the retailer at the point of purchase

Misinformation

False, inaccurate, or misleading information that is created or spread regardless of an intent to deceive, often stemming from error, misunderstanding, or misinterpretation of facts

Disinformation

False or misleading information that is deliberately created, orchestrated, or disseminated with the specific intent to deceive, manipulate, or harm a target group, state, or institution