| Question |
Answer |
| amnesty |
a blanket pardon offered to a group of law violators |
| apportioned |
distribute, as in seats in a legislative body |
| at-large election |
election of an office holder by the voters of an entire governmental unit, rather than by the voters of a district or subdivision |
| balance the ticket |
when a presidential candidate chooses a running mate who can strengthen his chance of being elected by virtue of certian ideological,geographic,racial,ethnic,gender,or other characteristics |
| bureaucrat |
a person who works for a bureaucratic organization |
| chief administrator |
term for the president as head of the administration of the federal government |
| chief citizen |
term for the president as the representative of the people, working for the public interest |
| chief diplomat |
term for the president as the main architect of foreign policy and spokesperson to other countries |
| chief executive |
term for the president as vested with the executive power of the U.S. |
| chief legislator |
term for the president as architect of public policy and the one who sets the agenda for congress |
| chief of state |
term for the president as the ceremonial head of the U.S. the symbol of all the people of the nation |
| clemency |
mercy or leniency granted to an offender by a chief executive |
| coalition |
a temporary alliance of several groups who come together to form a working majority and so to control a government |
| commander in chief |
term for the president as commander of the nations armed forces |
| commutation |
the power to reduce the length of a sentence or fine for a crime |
| discharge petition |
a procedure enabeling members to force a bill that has been pigeonholed in committee onto the floor for consideration |
| electoral college |
group of persons chosen in each state and the district of columbia every four years, who make a formal selection of the president and vice president |
| electorate |
all of the people entitled to vote in a given election |
| executive agreement |
a pact made by the president directly with the head of a foreign state; a binding international agreement with the force of law but which does not require senate consent |
| executive article |
article II of the constitution. Established the presidency and gives the executive power of the federal government to the president |
| executive office of the president |
an organization of several agencies staffed bu the Presidents closest advisors |
| executive order |
directive, rule, or regulation issued by a chief executive or subordinates, based upon constitutional or statutory authority, and having the force of law |
| filibuster |
various tactics aimed at defeating a bill in a legislative body by preventing a final vote |
| gerrymandered |
the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group |
| government corporation |
corporations within the executive branch subject to the presidents direction and control, setup by congress to carry out certain business-like activities |
| independent executive agencies |
agencies headed by a single administrator with regional subunits, but lacking cabinet status |
| independent regulatory commissions |
independent agencies designed to regulate important aspects of the nations economy, largely beyond the reach of the presidents control |
| keynote address |
speech given at a party convention to set the tone for the convention and the campaign to come |
| pardon |
release from the punishment or legal consequences of a crime by the President(federal) or governor(state) |
| partisanship |
government action based on firm allegiance to a political party |
| party caucus |
a closed meeting of a partys House or Senate members, also called a party conference |
| patronage |
the practice of giving jobs to supporters and friends |
| persona non grata |
an unwelcome person, used to describe recalled diplomatic officials |
| platform |
a political partys formmal statement of basic principles, stands on major issues and objectives |
| precint |
the smallest unit of election administration, a voting district |
| presidential electors |
a person elected by the voters to represent them in making a formal selection of the vice president and president |
| presidential primary |
an election in which a partys voters 1)choose state party organizations delegates to their partys national convention and 2)express a preference for their party's presidential nomination |
| presidential succession |
scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled |
| proportional representation |
a rule applied in democratic primaries where by any candidate who wins at least 15% of the votes gets the number of state democratic convention delegates based on his/her share of that primary vote |
| quorum |
least number of members who must be present for a legislative body to conduct business; majority |
| reapportion |
redistribute, as in seats in a legislative body |
| recognition |
the exclusive power of a president to recognize foreign states |
| register |
a record or list of names, often kept by an official appointed to do so |
| reprieve |
an official postponement of the execution of a sentence |
| resolution |
a measure relating to the business of either house, or expression an opinion; does not have the force of law and does not require the presidents signature |
| rider |
unpopular provision added onto an important bill certain to pass so that it will "ride" through the legislative process |
| secretary |
an official in charge of a department of government |
| session |
period of time during which, each year,, congress assembles and conducts business |
| single-issue parties |
parties that concentrate on only one public policy matter |
| single member district |
electoral district from which one person is chosen by the voters for each elected office |
| special session |
an extraordinary session of a legislative body, called to deal with an emergency |
| splinter parties |
parties that have split away from one of the major parties |
| term |
two year period of time during which congress meets |
| treaty |
a formal agreement between two or more soverign states |
| winner-take-all |
an almost obsolete system where by a presidential aspirant who won the preference vote in a primary automatically won all delegates chosen in the primary |
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