Exam 1: Section 1: Organization and Structure of Government - Vocab

Federalism

Government authority and responsibility is distributed among different levels of government

Popular sovereignty

Citizens hold ultimate authority through voting

Sovereignty

Authority to govern oneself without external influence

Reserved Clause

10th amendment to Constitution

Draws line between powers of national, state and local governments

Grant

Funds transferred from one level of government to another

General Assembly

Legislative branch at the state level

Charter

Local government version of a constitution

Separation of Powers

Each branch possesses powers towards other branches

Checks and Balances

One branch can constrain actions of another branch

Appropriation

Legislative action that creates spending authority

Judicial Review

Judicial branch may review actions of legislative and executive branches

Component

Organized unit of government

Commission

Government component established by legislative action

Permanent: fulfills regulatory roll

Temporary: study a particular issue

Central Management Agency

Government agency that provides central management services to other components

Administrative or Budget in title

Executive Order

Order issued by president, governor or local official that does not violate existing legislation

Initiative

Citizens can present view on problem and propose solutions rather than relying on action from legislative branch

Referendum

Certain legislative actions have to be presented for voter approval before taking effect

Recall

Enables voters to remove elected officials from office

General-Purpose Entity

National, state or local entity that provides a broad range of services

Special-Purpose Entity

Entity organized for single or closely related purposes

Ordinance

Law enacted by legislative body below state level

Quasi-Government Entity

Entity that blends characteristics of government and private sector

Government Corporation

quasi-government entity formed to support business like functions using revenues or fees rather than appropriated budgets

mediation

voluntary and nonbinding form of conflict resolution that involves an objective third-party mediator who tries to bring disputants closer together

corollary

A logical result that comes from an established principal.

If Fact A is true, then Result B is logically a response following Fact A