Approaching Democracy Chapter 15

Front 1

capital gains tax

Back 1

tax on unearned income from rents, stocks, and interest

Front 2

deficit

Back 2

a shortfall between the monies a government takes in and spends

Front 3

discretionary spending

Back 3

the spending congress actually controls; 33 percent of all spending

Front 4

economic policy

Back 4

policy aimed at producing a vibrant, healthy and growing economy

Front 5

entitlements

Back 5

government-sponsored benefits and cash payments to those who meet eligibilty requirements

Front 6

excise taxes

Back 6

charges on the sale or manufacture of products such as cigarettes, alcohol, and gasoline

Front 7

formal agenda

Back 7

the policies actually scheduled for debate and potential adoption by congress, the president, the supreme court, or exclusive departments and agencies

Front 8

implementation

Back 8

the act of providing the organization and expertise required to put into action any policy that has become law; also refers to the actual execution of a policy

Front 9

impoundment

Back 9

the prsident's refusal to spend funds appropriated by congress

Front 10

mandatory spending

Back 10

spending that must be allocated by law rather than by appropriations, for entitlements such as social security, medicare and medicaid; 67 percent of the budget

Front 11

means testing

Back 11

the changing of eligibility for entitlement benefits from everyone receiving benefits to only those with earnings and savings below a predetermined level, in an attempt to save money

Front 12

national debt

Back 12

the cumulative total of all budget deficits

Front 13

office of management and budget (OMB)

Back 13

the unit in the executive office of the president whose main responsibilities are to prepare and administer the president's annual budget. a president and the OMB can shape policy through the budget process; the process determines which departments and agencies grow, are cut, or remain the same as the year before

Front 14

policy elites

Back 14

members of congress, the president, supreme court justices, cabinet officers, heads of key agencies and departments, leading editorial writers, and influential columnists and commentators

Front 15

policy entrepreneurs

Back 15

leaders who invest in, and who create teh conditions for, a potential group to ecome an actual interest group. ralph nader stands as a classic example of a policy entrepreneur.

Front 16

policy evaluation

Back 16

the required period of monitoring and analysis of fedral policies following their implementation

Front 17

poverty level

Back 17

the federally determined income below which a family of four is considered poor

Front 18

progressive taxes

Back 18

system of taxation in which those who make more money are taxed at a higher rate. an example is the income tax

Front 19

public agenda

Back 19

the set of topics that concern policy elites, the general public, or both

Front 20

public policies

Back 20

the decisions, actions, and commitments of government

Front 21

regressive taxes

Back 21

system of taxation in which taxes take a higher fraction of the income of lower income taxpayers; examples are taxes on gasoline, cigarettes, and alcohol

Front 22

regulatory policy

Back 22

policy that involves the use of police powers by the federal government to supervise the conduct of individuals, businesses, and other governmental agencies

Front 23

social welfare policy

Back 23

policy that uses positive incentives (cash assistance, stipends, entitlements, grants, etc) to promote or encourage basic social and economic fairness

Front 24

tariffs

Back 24

the imposition of import taxes on foreign goods in an attempt to protect a nation's industry and/or labor

Front 25

tax expenditures

Back 25

deductible expenses that reduce the amount of income subject to taxes; for example, home mortgages, business equiptment, or business-related entertainment

Front 26

triggering mechanism

Back 26

a critical development that converts a routine problem into a widely shared, negative public response

Front 27

workfare

Back 27

the requirement that recipients of welfare programs such as AFDC work on public works unless they find employment elsewhere