Making Social/Foreign and Defense Policy Flashcards
Unfunded Mandates
Programs that the Federal government requires States to implement without Federal funding
Entitlements
Programs such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, or disability payments that provide benefits to all eligible citizens
Means-tested Entitlemetns
Programs such as Medicaid and welfare under which applicants must meet eligibility requirements based on need
Public Assistance
Aid to the poor, “welfare”
Social Insurance
Programs in which eligibility is based on prior contributions to government, usually in the form of payroll taxes
Social Security
A combination of entitlement Programs, paid for by employer and employee taxes, that includes retirement benefits, health insurance, and support for disabled workers and the children of deceased or disabled workers
Medicare
National Health Insurance program for the elderly and disabled
Medicaid
Federal program that provides medical benefits for low-income persons
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
Alternative means of health care in which people or their employers are charged a set amount and the HMO provides health care and covers hospital costs
Medical Savings Account
Alternative means of health care in which individuals make tax-deductible contributions to a special account that can be used to pay medical expenses
Realism
A theory of international relations that focuses on the tendency of nations to operate from self-interest
Idealism
A theory of international relations that focuses on the hope the nations will act together to solve international problems and promote peace
Isolationism
The desire to avoid international entanglement altogether
Internationalism
The belief that nations must engage in international problem solving
Unilateralism
A philosophy that encourages individual nations to act on their own when facing threats from other nations
Bush Doctrine
A policy adopted by the Bush administration in 2001 that asserts America’s right to attack any nation that has weapons or mass destruction that might be used against US interests at home or abroad
Multilateralism
A philosophy that encourages individual nations tacked together to solve international problems
Hard Power
The reliance on economic and military strength to solve international problems
Soft Power
The reliance on diplomacy and negotiation to solve international problems
Theory of Deterrence
A theory that is based on creating enough military strength to convince other nations not to attack first
Weapons of Mass Destruction
Biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons that can cause a massive number of deaths in a single use
Normal Trade Relations
Trade status granted as part of an international trade policy that gives a nation the same favorable trade concessions and tariffs that the best trading partners receive
National Intelligence Director
The Federal government’s primary intelligence officer, responsible for overseeing all national intelligence agencies and providing advice to the President on terrorist threats
Bipartisanship
A policy that emphasizes a united front and cooperation between the major political parties, especially on sensitive foreign policy issues
Economic Sanctions
Denial of export, import, or financial relations with the target country in an effort to change that nation’s policies
