Presidential Vocab

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12th Amendment

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An amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1804, providing for election of the president and vice president by the electoral college: should there be no majority vote for one person, the House of Representatives (one vote per state) chooses the president and the Senate the vice president.

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20th Amendment

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Moved the beginning and ending of the terms of the President and Vice President from March 4 to January 20, and of members of Congress from March 4 to January 3.

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22nd Amendment

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Ensures that no person can be elected to more than two four-year terms as President of the United States. Was ratified in 1951 in reaction to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms in office.

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25th Amendment

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Deals with succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities.

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Ad Hoc Structure

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A method of organizing a president’s staff in which several task forces, committees, and informal groups deal directly with the president.

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Amnesty

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An official pardon for people who have been convicted of political offenses.

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Appointment

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An act of appointing; assigning a job or position to someone.

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Budget and Impoundment Control Act

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Modified the role of Congress in the federal budgetary process. It created standing budget committees in both the House and the Senate, established the Congressional Budget Office, and moved the beginning of the fiscal year from July 1 to October 1.

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Bush v. Gore

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Initiated in Florida year 2000 presidential election. Democratic Gore wanted recount due to voting irregularities in 3 Democratic counties. In 5-4 decision, Supreme Court halted the recount, giving Bush presidency.

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Cabinet

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A president’s council of advisers.

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Chief Diplomat

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The role of the president in recognizing foreign governments, making treaties, and effecting executive agreements

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Chief Executive

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Term for the president as vested with the executive power of the US.

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Chief Legislator

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The role of the president in influencing the making of laws.

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Chief of Staff

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The senior staff officer of a service or command.

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Chief of State

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The chief public representative of a country who may also be the head of government.

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Circular Structure

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A method of organizing a president’s staff in which several presidential assistants report directly to the president.

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Clemency

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Mercy or leniency granted to an offender by a chief executive.

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Clinton v. City of New York

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The Supreme Court ruled the Line Item Veto Act unconstitutional, thus making all vetoes made by Clinton under the act questionable. Two separate groups formed the plaintiff and the case was expedited to the supreme court. They were ruled unconstitutional, violating presentment clause.

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Clinton v. Jones

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Court ruled that president of the United States is not temporarily immune from civil law suits, based on actions before entering office, filed during a president's term in office. Ruling opened the way for Paula Jones to proceed with a sexual harassment suit against President Clinton while he was governor of Arkansas.

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Commander in chief

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Term for the president as commander of the nation's armed forces.

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Divided Government

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A government in which one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress.

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Emergency Powers

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During a war, depression, etc., the president can pass legislation and suspend some government functions in order to pass necessary programs more quickly.

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Executive Agreement

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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 (unlike a treaty) does not require Senate consent.

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Executive Office of the President

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Agencies that perform staff services for the president but are not part of the White House.

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Executive Order

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Directive, rule, or regulation issued by a chief excutive or subordinates, based upon constitutional or statutory authority and having the force of law.

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Executive Privilege

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The president's right to withhold information from or refuse to testify before congress or courts.

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Gridlock

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A situation in which government is incapable of acting on important issues, usually because of divided government.

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Impeachment

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Formal accusation against the president or other public official, the first step in removal from office.

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Imperial Presidency

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Term used to describe a President as an "emperor" who acts without consulting Congress or acts in secrecy to evade or deceive Congress; often used in reference to Richard Nixon's presidency.

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Impoundment Power

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A presidential power which allows the president to refuse to spend money appropriated by congress. This power was cut by the Budget Reform Act or Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act.

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Inauguration

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Ceremony in which the President takes the oath of office.

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Lame Duck

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An outgoing official serving out the remainder of a term, after retiring or being defeated for reelection.

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Line-Item Veto

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Presidential authority to negate particular provisions of a law while letting the remainder stand; granted by congress in 996 but struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998.

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Merit System

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The system by which federal civil service jobs are classified into grades or levels, to which appointments are made on the basis of performance on competitive examinations.

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Myers v. United States

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President has the exclusive power to remove executive branch officials, and does not need the approval of the Senate or any other legislative body.

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National Economic Council

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Part of the Executive Office of Management. In charge of assisting the president as the Chief Economic Planner. Contains about 60 Economists, Attorneys and political scientists.

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National Security Council

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Part of the Executive Office of Management. Helps coordinate and plan Military and Foreign Policy. Members include Secretary of Defense and Homeland Security, the National Security Adviser, Director of CIA, Chairmen of Joint Chiefs of State, and the Attorney General.

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Nixon v. Fitzgerald

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Rules the president can't be sued for decisions he makes while acting as president.

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Oath

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Pledging to "faithfully execute" the office and "preserve, protect, protect, and defend" the Constitution as the president.

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Office of Management and Budget

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Presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies.

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Ordinance Power

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Power of the President to issue executive orders; originates from the Constitution and acts of Congress.

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Pardon

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Release from the punishment or legal consequences of a crime, by the President (in a federal case) or a governor (in a State case).

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Party Leader

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In this role, the president is the head of his political party.

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Pocket Veto

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When a president kills a bill passed during the last 10 days Congress is in session by simply refusing to act on it.

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Presidential Succession Act

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A President nor Vice President is able to "discharge the powers and duties of the office."

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Press Secretary

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One of the president's top assistants who is in charge of media relations.

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Pyramid Structure

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A president's subordinates report to him through a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff.

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Reconciliation Powers for the Budget

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The reconciliation process is utilized when Congress issues directives to legislate policy changes in mandatory spending (entitlements) or revenue programs (tax laws) to achieve the goals in spending and revenue contemplated by the budget resolution.

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Reprieve

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An official postponement of the execution of a sentence.

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Special Sessions

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Emergency or crisis meetings which can only be called by the president.

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Spoils System

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The system of employing and promoting civil servants who are friends and supporters of the group in power.

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State of the Union Address

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The President's annual adress to the nation. Describes the year, and the plans for the future year.

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Treaty

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A formal agreement between two or more sovereign states.

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Unified Government

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The same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress.

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United States v. Nixon

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States that Executive Privilege isn't applied to criminal acts.

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Vice President

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An executive officer ranking immediately below a president.

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War Powers Act

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President can send soldiers anywhere without congressional approval. But must notify congress within 48 hours and Congress can remove troops after 60 days.

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White House Staff

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Analysts and advisers to the president, often given the title "special assistant."