Printable Federal Government and Bureaucracy flash cards

administrative discretion

power given by Congress to the federal bureaucracy to use their sound judgment to implement laws

bureaucracy

government with many bureaus, administrators and petty officials

bureaucrat

official of a bureaucracy who works by fixed routine

central clearance

OMB office which reviews executive branch testimony, reports and draft legislation

department

one of the principal divisions of government headed by a member of the President's cabinet

entitlement program

programs which provide monetary assistance to residents, such as unemployment and disability

government corporation

company formed by Congress but exempt from regulations which can be for or non-profit

hatch act

1939 and 1940 laws regulating expenditures, contributions and procedures in political campaigns

implementation

process for putting law into effect by bureaucratic rules or funding

independent agency

agency created by an act of Congress that's independent from executive departments

independent regulatory commission

federal agencies which impose regulations but are considered free of political influence

indexing

automatic adjustments in the tax code to compensate for inflation

merit system

policy of promoting people based on ability rather than seniority, quotas or patronage

office of personnel management

independent agency which manages the civil service workforce for the federal government

oversight

government supervision and review of a government program

regulation

rule prescribed by government in implementing laws

rule-making process

process for making rules which govern the implementation of laws

senior executive service

part of civil service just below top Presidential appointees which administers public programs

spoils system

practice in which public offices are at the disposal of the victorious party for its own purposes

uncontrollable spending

part of the federal budget spent on programs that the president and lawmakers don't want to cut

administrative discretion

power given by Congress to the federal bureaucracy to use their sound judgment to implement laws

bureaucracy

government with many bureaus, administrators and petty officials

bureaucrat

official of a bureaucracy who works by fixed routine

central clearance

OMB office which reviews executive branch testimony, reports and draft legislation

department

one of the principal divisions of government headed by a member of the President's cabinet

entitlement program

programs which provide monetary assistance to residents, such as unemployment and disability

government corporation

company formed by Congress but exempt from regulations which can be for or non-profit

hatch act

1939 and 1940 laws regulating expenditures, contributions and procedures in political campaigns

implementation

process for putting law into effect by bureaucratic rules or funding

independent agency

agency created by an act of Congress that's independent from executive departments

independent regulatory commission

federal agencies which impose regulations but are considered free of political influence

indexing

automatic adjustments in the tax code to compensate for inflation

merit system

policy of promoting people based on ability rather than seniority, quotas or patronage

office of personnel management

independent agency which manages the civil service workforce for the federal government

oversight

government supervision and review of a government program

regulation

rule prescribed by government in implementing laws

rule-making process

process for making rules which govern the implementation of laws

senior executive service

part of civil service just below top Presidential appointees which administers public programs

spoils system

practice in which public offices are at the disposal of the victorious party for its own purposes

uncontrollable spending

part of the federal budget spent on programs that the president and lawmakers don't want to cut