GLoSSARy 377
Midterm Elections National elections in which
candidates for president are not on the ballot. In
midterm elections, voters choose all members of the
U.S. House of Representatives and one-third of the
members of the U.S. Senate.Minority Leader of the House The party leader
elected by members of the minority party in the
House.
Monetary Policy The use of changes in the amount
of money in circulation to alter credit markets,
employment, and the rate of inflation.Monroe Doctrine A policy statement made by
President James Monroe in 1823, which set out
three principles: (1) European nations should not
establish new colonies in the Western Hemisphere,
(2) European nations should not intervene in
the affairs of independent nations of the Western
Hemisphere, and (3) the United States would not
interfere in the affairs of European nations.
Moral Idealism A philosophy that views nations as
normally willing to cooperate and to agree on moral
standards for conduct.N
National Committee A standing committee of a
national political party established to direct and
coordinate party activities between national party
conventions.National Convention The meeting held every four
years by each major party to select presidential
and vice-presidential candidates, write a platform,
choose a national committee, and conduct party
business.
National Security Council (NSC) An agency in the
Executive Office of the President that advises the
president on national security.National Security Policy Foreign and domestic
policy designed to protect the nation’s
independence and political and economic integrity;
policy that is concerned with the safety and defense
of the nation.
Natural Rights Rights held to be inherent in
natural law, not dependent on governments. John
Locke stated that natural law, being superior to
human law, specifies certain rights of “life, liberty,
and property.” These rights, altered to become “life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” are asserted
in the Declaration of Independence.Normal Trade Relations (NTR) Status A status
granted through an international treaty by which
each member nation must treat other members as
well as it treats the country that receives its most
favorable treatment. This status was formerly known
as most-favored-nation status.Limited Government A government with powers
that are limited either through a written document
or through widely shared beliefs.
Limited Jurisdiction Exists when a court’s authority
to hear cases is restricted to certain types of claims,
such as tax claims or bankruptcy petitions.
Line-Item Veto The power of an executive to veto
individual lines or items within a piece of legislation
without vetoing the entire bill.
Line organization In the federal government, an
administrative unit that is directly accountable to
the president.
Literacy Test A test administered as a precondition
for voting, often used to prevent African Americans
from exercising their right to vote.
Litigate To engage in a legal proceeding or seek
relief in a court of law; to carry on a lawsuit.
Lobbyist An organization or individual who
attempts to influence the passage, defeat, or content
of legislation and the government’s administrative
decisions.
Loophole A legal method by which individuals and
businesses are allowed to reduce the tax liabilities
they owe to the government.M
Madisonian Model A structure of government
proposed by James Madison, in which the powers of
the government are separated into three branches:
executive, legislative, and judicial.
Majoritarianism A political theory holding that in
a democracy, the government ought to do what the
majority of the people want.
Majority Leader of the House Elected by members
of the majority party to foster cohesion and to act as
a spokesperson for the majority party.
Majority opinion A court opinion reflecting the
views of the majority of the judges.
Majority Rule A basic principle of democracy
asserting that the greatest number of citizens in any
political unit should select officials and determine
policies.
Media The channels of mass communication.
Medicaid A joint state-federal program that provides
medical care to the poor (including indigent elderly
persons in nursing homes). The program is funded
out of general government revenues.
Medicare A federal health-insurance program that
covers U.S. residents over the age of sixty-five. The
costs are met by a tax on wages and salaries.
Merit System The selection, retention, and
promotion of government employees on the basis of
competitive examinations.9781285436388_em_glos_371-382.indd 377 10/22/13 7:04 AM
Copyright 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.