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 have the same durability in the American system as a treaty but 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, especially that of Congress

Formal (or Enumerated) Powers

powers explicitly granted to the national government through the Constitution; also called express powers

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

Impeachment

charges issued by the House of Representatives against a federal official for committing "Treason, Bribery, or other 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 and nominees

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 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 forgive an individual and set aside punishment for a crime

Signing Statement

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

State of the Union Address

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

Treaty

an agreement with a foreign government negotiated by the president and requiring 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 the reasons for vetoing a bill

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

White House Office

the personal office of the president, which tends to presidential political needs and manages the 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 between parties that arise over the implementation of federal laws or determines which individuals or groups are covered under a regulation or program

Bureaucratic Discretion

the power to decide how a law is implemented and, at times, what Congress actually meant when it passed a given law

Bureaucratic Imperialism

the tendency of agencies to try to expand their program responsibilities

Department of Homeland Security

cabinet department created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to coordinate domestic security efforts

Discretionary Authority

the ability of officials to make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws

Federal Bureaucracy

the departments and agencies within the executive branch that carry out the laws of the nation

Federal Civil Service

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

Implementation

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

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

Merit System

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

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

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 that have the force of law, to carry out the laws passed by Congress

Spoils System

the practice of a successful political party giving public office to its supporters

Trust Fund

special account used to hold revenues designated for a specific expenditure such as Social Security, Medicare, or highways