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Ch.18-EAR
Making Economic and Regulatory Policy
43
Political Studies
12th Grade
01/20/2009

Additional Political Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

Public Policy

Definition
a specific course of action taken by government to achieve a public goal
Term

Policy Agenda-

Definition
the informal list of issues that Congress and the president consider most important for action
Term

Distributive Policy-

Definition
a type of policy that provides benefits to all Americans
Term

Redistributive Policy- 

Definition
a type of policy that takes benefits (usually through taxes) from one group of Americans and gives them to another (usually through spending)
Term

Regressive Policy- 

Definition
a tax whereby people with lower incomes pay a higher fraction of their income than people with higher incomes
Term

Rule-

Definition
a precise legal definition of how government will implement a policy
Term

Iron Triangle-

Definition
a policy making alliance that involves very strong ties among a congressional committee, an interest group, and a federal department or agency.
Term

Issue Network-

Definition
a policy making alliance among loosely connected participants that comes together on a particular issue then disbands.
Term

Fiscal Policy-

Definition
government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling taxing and spending
Term

Monetary Policy-

Definition
government policy that attempts to manage the economy by controlling the money supply and thus interest rates
Term

Inflation-

Definition
 a rise in the general price level (and decrease in dollar value) owing to an increase in the value of money and credit in relation to available goods
Term

Unemployment-

Definition
the number of Americans who are out of work but actively looking for a job, the number does not usually include those who are not looking
Term

Tariff-

Definition
tax levied on imports to help protect a nation’s industries, labor or farmers from foreign competition, it can also be used to raise additional revenue
Term

Excise Tax-

Definition
consumer tax on a specific kind of merchandise, such as tobacco
Term

Progressive Tax-

Definition
a tax graduated so that people with higher incomes pay a larger fraction of their income than people with lower incomes
Term

Deficit-

Definition
the difference between the revenues raised annually from sources of income other than borrowing and the expenditures of government, including paying the interest on past borrowing
Term

National Debt-

Definition
the total amount of money the federal government has borrowed to finance deficit spending over the years
Term

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)-

Definition
the total output of all economic activity in the nation, including goods and services
Term

Entitlements-

Definition
government programs, such as unemployment insurance, disaster relief, and disability payment that provide benefits to all eligible citizens
Term

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-

Definition
presidential staff agency that serves as a clearinghouse for budgetary requests and management improvements for government agencies
Term

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)-

Definition
an agency of Congress that analyzes presidential budget recommendations and estimates the cost of proposed legislation
Term

Sales Tax-

Definition
general tax on sales transactions, sometimes exempting food and drugs
Term

Value-Added Tax (VAT)-

Definition
a tax on increased value of a product at each stage of production and distribution rather than just at the point of sale
Term

Tax Expenditure- 

Definition
loss of tax revenue due to federal laws that provide special tax incentives or benefits to individuals or businesses
Term

Monetarism-

Definition
a theory that government should control the money supply to encourage economic growth and restrain inflation
Term
Federal Reserve System-
Definition
 the system created by Congress in 1913 to establish banking practices and regulates currency in circulation and the amount of credit available. It’s consists of 12 regional banks supervised by the Board of Governors. Often called simple “The Fed”
Term

Laissez-Faire Economics-

Definition
theory that opposes governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property
Term

Keynesian Economics-

Definition
economic theory based on the principals of John Maynard Keynes stating that Government spending should increase during business slumps and be curved during booms
Term

Trade Deficit- 

Definition
an imbalance in international trade in what the value of imports exceeds the value of exports
Term

World Trade Organization (WTO)-

Definition
international organization from the general Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) that promotes free trade around the world
Term

General  Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT)-

Definition
an international trade organization with more than 130 members, including the United States and the People’s Republic of China, that seeks to encourage free trade by lowering tariffs and other trade restrictions
Term

North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA)-

Definition
agreement signed by the United States, Canada and Mexico in 1992 to form the largest free trade zone in the world
Term

Protectionism-

Definition
policy of erecting trade barriers to protect domestic industry
Term

Regulation-

Definition
efforts by government to alter the free operation of the market to achieve social goals such as protecting workers and the environment
Term

Monopoly-

Definition
domination of an industry by a single company; also the company that dominates the industry
Term

Antitrust Legislation-

Definition
Federal Laws (starting with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890) that tried to prevent a monopoly from dominating an industry and restraining trade
Term

Trust-

Definition
a monopoly that controls good and services, often in combinations that reduce competition
Term

Closed Shop-

Definition
a company with a labor agreement under which union membership is a condition of employment
Term

Union Shop-

Definition
a company in which new employees must join a union within a stated time period
Term

Labor Injunction-

Definition
a court order forbidding specific individuals or groups from performing certain acts (such as striking) that the court considers harmful to the rights and property of an employer of a community. 
Term

Collective Bargaining-

Definition
method whereby representatives of the union and employer determine wages, hours, and other conditions of employment through direct negotiation
Term

Environmental Impact Statement-

Definition
a statement required by federal law from all agencies for any project using federal funds to access the potential affect of the new construction or development on the environment
Term

Deregulation-

Definition
a policy promoting cutbacks in the amount of federal regulation in specific areas of economic activity
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