AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

Protects against terrorism and responds to natural disasters

Organizationally similar to private corporations except that the government rather than stockholders owns them

Federal Trade Commission is an agency that regulates business competition, including enforcement of laws against monopolies and the protection of consumers from deceptive trade practices.

Federal Communications Commission is an agency that regulates interstate and international radio, television, telephone, telegraph and satellite communications, as well as licensing radio and television stations.

The method of hiring government employees from among the friends, relatives, and supporters of elected officeholders

testing for a government job

Group of political actors that is actively involved with policymaking in a particular issue area

three-sided relationship among government agencies, interest groups, and key members of Congress in which all parties benefit.

a doctrine of constitutional interpretation holding that the document should be interpreted narrowly

doctrine of constitutional interpretation holding that the document should be interpreted broadly

the power of courts to declare unconstitutional the actions of the other branches and units of government

• Supreme Court
• Court of Appeals (Appellate court)
• District Courts

legal dispute dealing with an alleged violation of a penal law

a legal disputed concerning a private conflict between two parties, ie; individuals, corporations, or government agencies

• Lifetime
• one chief and 8 associates
• Hears 60-70 oral arguments which is 1-2% of all cases received.

rewrite the law

The president selects federal judges and the senate confirms them by majority vote.  The president looks for nominees who share their political philosophy.

By relevant government agencies and private parties.

Financial incentive given by government to an individual or a business interest to accomplish a public objective.

largest single source of revenue for the national government. 

levy that taxes people earning higher incomes at a higher rate than it does individuals making less money.

levy whose burden falls more heavily on lower-income groups than on wealthy taxpayers.

second-largest source of federal revenue that is levied on wages and salaries.

How government raises money

Individual income tax, corporate income tax, excise tax

Healthcare, Social Security, National defense and income security

expenditure that can be subtracted from a taxpayer's gross income before figuring the tax owed.

domestic spending programs including unemployment insurance, federal retirement (civilian and military) and most welfare programs.

a levy that taxes all persons at the same percentage rate, regardless of income.

levy assessed on the retail sale of taxable items.

the accumulated indebtedness of the federal government.

federally funded health insurance program for the elderly.

federal program designed to provide health insurance coverage to low income persons, people with disabilities, and elderly people who are impoverished.

federal pension and disability insurance program funded through a payroll tax on workers and their employers.

Measure of inflation that is based on the changing cost of goods and services

• Income security - unemployment, federal retirement and most welfare programs
• Monetary policy - control of the money supply for the purpose of achieving economic goals
• Federal Reserve Board central banking system of the US with authority to establish banking policies and influence the amount of credit available in the economy.

Changing from cash and benefits sufficient to meet basic human needs to move recipients from the welfare rolls to the workforce. Shifted the focus of government assistance to the poor from cash benefits to services designed to help poor people get and keep jobs.

government program providing benefits to all persons qualified to receive them under law.

a system of official contacts between two nations in which the countries exchange ambassadors and other diplomatic personnel and operate embassies in each other's country.

an international organization founded in 1945 as a diplomatic forum to resolve conflicts among the world's nation.

the period of international tension between the US and the Soviet Union lasting from the late 1940's through the late 1980's

international organization created to promote economic stability worldwide.  Provides loans to nations facing economic crises, usually on the condition that they adopt and implement reforms designed to bring long term economic stability.

Defense policy that declares that the US will attack nations or groups that represent a potential threat to the security of the US.

legally constituted organizations created by natural or legal people that operate independently from any form of government.  Example is Doctors without Borders

regional military alliance consisting of the US, Canada, and most of the European democracies.

• Bhutan
• Cuba
• Iran
• North Korea
• Taiwan