Glossary of Political Science and Economics Terms, Quizzes of Political Science

Download Glossary of Political Science and Economics Terms and more Quizzes Political Science in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Balanced budget rules DEFINITION 1 A requirement that a states budget has revenues equal to spending. Rules may apply to projected revenues and spending, or to actual levels. TERM 2 Block grants DEFINITION 2 Fixed- sum federal grants allocated by formula giving state and local governments broad leeway in designing and implementing designated programs. TERM 3 Capital budget DEFINITION 3 The portion of state spending on infrastructure such as buildings, bridges, and roads. Capital budgets may be exempt from balanced budget rules. TERM 4 Categorical grants DEFINITION 4 Grants from the federal government to states and cities that are for specifi c purposes defi ned by Congress. TERM 5 Cost of Living Allowances (COLAs) DEFINITION 5 A pay increase that matches the rate of inflation. COLAs maintain a fixed level of purchasing power, not an increase in purchasing power. TERM 6 Elasticity DEFINITION 6 The responsiveness of something to a change in price TERM 7 Exportable tax DEFINITION 7 Taxes mostly paid by people from other places ( such as hotel taxes and taxes on natural resources, such as oil). TERM 8 Flat rate tax DEFINITION 8 Everyone pays the same rate, regardless of their income. TERM 9 Inelastic demand DEFINITION 9 Demand for something is said to be inelastic if it does not respond to changes in price. If a tax raises the price of something that has inelastic demand, such as basic foods, medical care, or things that people are addicted to, the tax may not reduce consumption of the good. TERM 10 Leviathan DEFINITION 10 The model of government as an entity that seeks to increase revenues beyond even what the public might demand. TERM 21 Amicus curiae brief DEFINITION 21 Latin for a friend of the court brief, a legal argument offered by a person or group that is not a party to a case but would like to influence its outcome. TERM 22 Civil union DEFINITION 22 A relationship between two people ( whether an opposite- or same- sex couple) with much of the legal rights and obligations of marriage, but without the title of marriage. TERM 23 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) DEFINITION 23 Federal law enacted in 1996 that ( 1) defi ned marriage for the purposes of federal law as a relationship between one man and one woman, and ( 2) allowed the states not to recognize same- sex marriages sanctioned in other states. TERM 24 Domestic partnership DEFINITION 24 A relationship similar to a civil union, but usually with somewhat fewer legal rights and obligations. TERM 25 Expressive action DEFINITION 25 Action taken for its symbolic meaning, rather than to have a practical effect. TERM 26 First trimester DEFINITION 26 First three months of pregnancy TERM 27 Full faith and credit clause DEFINITION 27 Article 4, Section 1, of the U. S. Constitution, which stipulates that the states must mutually accept one anothers public acts, records, and judicial proceedings. TERM 28 Grassroots activities DEFINITION 28 Political activities undertaken by a groups members, rather than by its leaders, typically involving direct political action, like writing letters to policy makers and attending political rallies. TERM 29 Issue evolution DEFINITION 29 The process by which the definition and politics of a public policy issue change over time. TERM 30 Morality policy DEFINITION 30 A policy on which at least one side of the debate ( and often only one side) bases its arguments on basic moral values, often supported by religious beliefs. TERM 31 Op-ed article DEFINITION 31 Newspaper article written to advocate a point of view, usually found opposite the editorial page ( hence the name OP- ED). TERM 32 Policy entrepreneur DEFINITION 32 A person who identifi es a public need and works to motivate citizens and policy makers to change policy to satisfy that need. TERM 33 Policy equilibrium DEFINITION 33 When policy- making forces ( such as the current policy, interest group preferences, public opinion, and the issue environment) are balanced, so that little policy debate or change occurs. TERM 34 Policy shock DEFINITION 34 An event that changes an issues political environment, disrupts the policy equilibrium, and starts active policy making. TERM 35 Political agenda DEFINITION 35 The public problems and policy solutions under discussion by policy makers and the public at any given time. TERM 46 Single-payer health care DEFINITION 46 A health system financed by one source usually the federal government in which doctors and other private health care professionals provide basic services to every person, with their fees paid by the government at a fixed rate. TERM 47 Social insurance DEFINITION 47 Rather than means- tested, a government- created program ( such as Social Security) that socializes risk by forcing the compulsory contributions of participants. TERM 48 Social Security Act DEFINITION 48 Technically known as the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance program ( OASDI), a federal social insurance program created in 1935 providing economic assistance mainly to retired workers and their families. TERM 49 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) DEFINITION 49 Created by Congress in 1996 to replace AFDC ( Aid to Families with Dependent Children), a social welfare program that provides monthly cash assistance ( up to four years) to means- tested poor families with children under the age of 18; it requires recipients to participate in a work activity. TERM 50 Underclass DEFINITION 50 The least privileged social stratum, characterized by joblessness, social isolation, and impoverished and unsafe neighborhoods. TERM 51 Welfare DEFINITION 51 A range of public assistance services provided by government to aid and protect the most vulnerable individuals in society; includes both social insurance and public assistance programs. TERM 52 Working poor DEFINITION 52 A social stratum comprised of individuals who are gainfully employed, but who earn too little to subsist, thereby relying on public assistance and charities to make ends meet. TERM 53 Achievement gap DEFINITION 53 The gulf in performance and educational attainment between rich and poor and white and minority students. TERM 54 Adequate yearly progress (AYP) DEFINITION 54 Mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act ( NCLB) of 2002, it is a statewide accountability system requiring each state to ensure that every one of its schools and districts is meeting specified achievement goals. TERM 55 Charter school DEFINITION 55 A public school that is operated by a school district, but is freed from the administrative, staffing, and pedagogical constraints of traditional public schools and usually has a narrow mission. TERM 56 Education Management Organizations (EMOs) DEFINITION 56 For- profit companies hired to run some public schools. TERM 57 Homeschooling DEFINITION 57 The education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in a formal setting of public or private school. TERM 58 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) DEFINITION 58 Signed into law by President George W. Bush in January 2002, the bipartisan act greatly expanded the role of the federal government in K- 12 public education. The law requires annual assessments of student performance, requiring that children and schools attain adequate yearly progress ( AYP). TERM 59 School districts DEFINITION 59 A form of a special- purpose local government that operates public schools; differing in autonomy, their geographic boundaries, taxing authority, and policy recommendations are broadly set ( and limited) by state officials. TERM 60 School vouchers DEFINITION 60 The use of public funds to cover the costs of private education, whereby financial aid in the form of a voucher is provided to parents to transfer their children from public schools to private schools. TERM 71 Property tax DEFINITION 71 Least popular Moderately regressive Substantial local variation (in both taxes and services) TERM 72 Fastest growing part of state budgets DEFINITION 72 Health care TERM 73 How many Americans have no health insurance DEFINITION 73 40 million TERM 74 How many Americans live in poverty (fam. of 4 under $20,650/year) DEFINITION 74 37 million TERM 75 More likely to be poor: DEFINITION 75 Female, minority, low education, under 18, part of female- headed household TERM 76 More likely to lack health insurance: DEFINITION 76 Elderly, poor, minority TERM 77 SSDI DEFINITION 77 Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a payroll tax- funded, federal insurance program of the United States government.