Unit 6 Vocab Flashcards
Whig theory
a theory of presidential power that prevailed in the nineteenth century and held that the presidency was a restrained office whose occupant was limited to expressly granted constitutional authority
Stewardship theory
a theory of presidential power prevailing among modern presidents that argues for a strong, assertive presidential role with presidential authority limited only at points specifically prohibited by law
Unit rule
the rule that grants all of a state’s electoral votes to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the state, also known as winner-take-all
Cabinet
individuals leading the executive (cabinet) departments who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate
Honeymoon period
the president’s first months in office, a time when Congress, the press and the public are more inclined than usual to support presidential initiatives, usually the first 100 days
Presidential approval ratings
a measure of the degree to which the public approves or disapproves of the president’s performance in office
Electoral College
the state-by-state contest for deciding the president and vice president during the general election, it takes 270 votes in the Electoral College to win
Electors
those individuals chosen by their respective political parties to vote in the Electoral College should their party’s candidates receive the most votes in their state
Presidential primary
elections conducted in some states to determine which presidential candidates will represent their respective political parties in the general election, state primaries can be either open (all registered voters in the state can vote) or closed (only those voters registered with the political party can vote)
Presidential caucus
a more informal election method conducted in some states of having party activists decide which presidential candidates will represent their political party in the general election
