2022-23 Vocab I-W Unit 2B Flashcards
(110 cards)
Impeachment
The power the House of Reps has in the constitution can charge the president with Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. It is the first step in removing an official from office.
Imperial Presidency
a term used to describe a president as an emperor who acts without consulting Congress or acts in secrecy to evade or deceive congress.
Impoundment
an executive budgetary tool through which the President can decide not to spend money appropriated by Congress.
Independent Counsel Law
A special prosecutor used by Congress or the Attorney General to investigate people who were or are holding certain high positions in government and in Presidential election campaign organizations.
Independent Executive Agencies
Agency otherwise similar to cabinet departments but existing outside of the cabinet structure and usually having a narrower focus of mission.
Independent Regulatory Agencies
Agencies meant to impose and enforce regulations free of political influence
Inherent powers
Powers a branch of government not specifically listed in the constitution.
INS v. Chadha (1983)
US Supreme Court case strike down the legislative veto on account of its violation of the separation of powers.
Issues network
Webs of influence between interest groups, policymakers, and policy advocates.
Lame duck
period at the end of a presidential term when Congress may block presidential initiatives and nominees.
Legislative veto
The rejection of a presidential or administrative action by a vote of one or both houses of Congress without the consent of the president.
Line-item veto
Presidential power to strike, or remove, specific items from a spending bill without vetoing the entire package
Merit system
A system of hiring and promotion based on competitive testing results, education, and other qualifications rather than politics and personal connections.
National Security Council (NSC)
a link between the president’s key foreign and military advisers and the president. Its members consist of the president, vice president, and the secretaries of state and defense, plus other informal members.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
The executive branch office that assists the president in setting national spending priorities.
Office of Personnel Management
manages the civil service of the federal government, coordinates recruiting of new government employees, and manages their health insurance and retirement benefits programs.
Patronage
filling administrative positions as a reward for support, rather than solely on merit.
Pendleton Act (1883)
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.
Presidential honeymoon
period at the beginning of a new president’s term during which the president enjoys generally positive relations with the press and Congress, usually lasting about 6 months
Presidential Succession Act of 1947
established the line of succession following the Vice President (speaker of the house, president pro tempore, secretary of state, the rest of the cabinet)
Pyramid structure
a president’s subordinates report to him through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff.
Recess appointments
when a person is chosen by the president to fill a position while the senate is not in session, thereby bypassing senate approval. unless approved by a subsequent senate vote, recess appointees serve only to the end of the congressional term
Red tape
complex bureaucratic rules and procedures that must be followed to get something done.
Representative democracy
a political system in which voters select representatives who then vote on matters of public policy.