Chapters 6-7 Flashcards
work organization featuring division of labor and formal rules and structure
bureaucracy
people hired on the merit system to work for the federal government
civil service
practice of giving government jobs as rewards to political supporters
spoils system
government agencies that operate separately from executive departments
independent agencies
government agencies established to oversee and manage a specific aspect of the federal government
independent executive agencies
government agencies established to regulate some aspect of the economy
independent regulatory commissions
including members from both major political parties
bipartisan
government agencies that are organized and run like businesses but are owned in whole or in part by the federal government
government corporations
tax on a person’s or corporation’s income
income tax
a tax that has a great impact on lower income earners than on higher income earners
regressive tax
a tax whose rate increases as the amount that is subject to the tax increases
progressive tax
a tax that is applied at the same rate against all income
proportional tax
financial instrument by which a borrower agrees to pay back borrowed money, plus interest, at a future date
bond
cumulative sum of money that the government has borrowed and not repaid
federal debt
spending mandated by laws and not subject to the budget process
mandatory spending
spending subject to the annual budget process
discretionary spending
a government’s policy of taxation and spending
fiscal policy
a government’s policy of regulating the money in circulation and the interest rates at which money is borrowed to control inflation or stimulate economic growth
monetary policy
the group of people who work for the executive branch under a specific president
administration
formal presidential rule or regulation that has the force of law
executive order
right of a president to refuse to release information to Congress or a court
executive privilege
power to formally recognize the legitimacy of a foreign government
diplomatic recognition
postponement of a criminal sentence, or a shortening of its length
reprieve
an official act by the executive forgiving a person convicted of a crime and freeing that person from serving out his sentence
pardon
general pardon granted to a group of people
amnesty
to reduce a person’s sentence
commute
title of the president as the nation’s leader of military forces
commander in chief
all the stands the government takes on foreign issues
foreign policy
art of negotiating with foreign governments
diplomacy
president’s role as symbolic figurehead of the United States
chief of state
the process of succeeding,or coming after someone
succession
arrangement with a foreign government that does not need Senate approval
executive agreement
gap that occurs when annual expenses exceed annual revenue
deficit
leaders of the executive departments, who also act as advisors to the president
cabinet
