insurance program
a self-financing government program based on contribution that provide benefits to unemployed or retired persons.
assistance program
a government program financed by general income taxes that provides benefits to poor citizens without requiring contributions from them.
means test
an income qualification program that determines whether one is eligible for benefits under government programs reserved for lower-income groups
majoritarian politics
a policy in which almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays
client politics
a policy in which one small group benefits and almost everyone pays
worldviews
a comprehensive opinion of how the United states should respond to world problems
isolationism
the belief that the United States should withdraw from world affairs
containment
the belief that the United States should resist the expansion of aggressive nations, especially the former Soviet Union
disengagement
the belief that the United States was harmed by its war in Vietnam and so should avoid supposedly similar events
human rights
the belief that we should try to improve the lives of people in other countries
polarization
a deep and wide conflict over some government policy
military industrial complex
an alleged alliance between military leaders and corporate leaders
bipolar world
a political landscape with two superpowers
unipolar world
a political landscape with one superpower
cost overruns
when the money actually paid to military suppliers exceeds the estimated costs
gold plating
the tendency of Pentagon officials to ask weapons contractors to meet excessively high requirements