AP Gov. Vocab
About this set
Created by:
acamacho315 on December 21, 2011
Log in to favorite or report as inappropriate.
Order by
15 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Divided Government | One party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress. |
| Unified Government | The same party controls the White House and both houses of Congress. |
| Gridlock | The ability of the government to act because rival parties control different parts of the government. |
| Electoral College | They are people that choose to cast each state's vote in a presidential election. Each state can cast one electoral vote for each senator and representative it has. |
| Pyramid Structure | A president's subordinates report to him though a clear chain of command headed by a chief of staff. |
| Circular Structure | Several of the president's assistants report directly to him. |
| Ad hoc Structure | Several subordinates, cabinet officers, and committees report directly to the president on different matters. |
| Cabinet | The heads of the fifteen executive branch department of the federal government. |
| Bully Pulpit | The president's use of his prestige and visibility to guide or enthuse the American public. |
| Veto Message | A message from the president to the congress stating that he will not sign a bill that it has passed. Must be produced within ten days of the bill's passage. |
| Pocket Veto | A bill fails to become law because the president did not sign it within ten days before congress adjourns. |
| Line-item Veto | An executive's ability to block a particular provision in a bill passed by the legislature. |
| Legislative Veto | The authority of congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place. The Supreme Court has held that congress does not have his power. |
| Impeachment | Charges against a president approved by a majority of the House of Representative. |
| Lame Duck | A person still in office after he or she has lost a bid for reelection. |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.