Chapter 12 VocabularyThe Presidency

Created by: Britany Sterogs

Ad hoc structure

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

Cabinet

By custom, the cabinet includes the heads of the fourteen major executive departments.

Circular structure

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

Delegate model

The view that an elected representative should represent the opinions of his or her constituents.

Direct or participatory democracy

A political system in which all or most citizens participate directly by either holding office or making policy. The town meeting, in which citizens vote on major issues, is an example of participatory democracy.

Divided government

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

Impeachment

A formal accusation against a public official by the lower house of a legislative body. Impeachment is merely an accusation and not a conviction. Only two presidents, Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998, were ever impeached. They were not, however, convicted, for the Senate failed to obtain the necessary two-thirds vote required for conviction.

Lame duck

A politician who is still in office after having lost a reelection bid.

Legislative veto

The rejection of a presidential or administrativeagency action by a vote of one or both houses of Congress without the consent of the president. In 1983 the Supreme Court declared the legislative veto to be unconstitutional.

Line-item veto

The power of an executive to veto some provisions in an appropriations bill while approving others. The president does not have the right to exercise a line-item veto and must approve or reject an entire appropriations bill. See

also Pocket veto; Veto message

Perks

A short form of perquisites, meaning “fringe benefits of office.” Among the perks of political office for high-ranking officials are limousines, expense accounts, free air travel, fancy offices, and staff assistants.

Pocket veto

One of two ways for a president to disapprove a bill sent to him by Congress. If the president does not sign the bill within ten days of his receiving it and Congress has adjourned within that time, the bill does not become a law. See also Veto message; Line-item veto

Pyramid structure

A method of organizing a president’s staff in which most presidential assistants report through a hierarchy to the president’s chief of staff.

Veto message

One of two ways for a president to disapprove a bill sent to him by Congress. The veto message must be sent to Congress within ten days after the president receives the bill. See also Pocket veto; Line-item veto

Trustee approach

The view that an elected representative

should act on his or her own best judgment of what public policy requires.

Unified government

A government in which the same party

controls both the White House and both houses of Congress. When Bill Clinton became president in 1993, it was the first

time since 1981 (and only the second time since 1969) that the same party was in charge of the presidency and Congress.

See also Divided government

FIN. <3 XD