Glossary of Political Terms

Laws intended to stop companies from becoming so dominant that competition breaks down. The debate is over whether size alone is the problem or only conduct that demonstrably harms consumers.

Legal protection granted to someone already in a country who cannot safely return home. Distinct from refugee status, which is usually granted before arrival.

An Authorization for Use of Military Force, the resolution by which Congress permits military action. The 2001 version is still in use and has no expiry date or geographic limit.

The principle that anyone born on national soil is automatically a citizen. In the U.S. it comes from the Fourteenth Amendment, and the dispute is over how far that language reaches.

A fixed sum given to states to run a programme, replacing open-ended federal funding. It caps federal cost and shifts the risk of overspending to the state.

A system that sets a total limit on emissions, issues permits up to that limit, and lets companies buy and sell them. The cap fixes the quantity; trading sets the price.

Union recognition based on signed authorisation cards from a majority of workers, rather than a secret-ballot election. Supporters call it faster, opponents call it less private.

Money paid to secure release before trial, returned if the defendant appears. Critics argue it detains people for poverty rather than for risk.

A publicly funded school run outside the normal district structure, usually with more freedom over staffing and curriculum in exchange for performance conditions.

The Senate procedure for ending debate, normally requiring 60 votes. It is the mechanism that makes the filibuster effective.

Negotiation over pay and conditions conducted by a union on behalf of a group of workers, rather than by each worker individually.

The decisions a platform makes about what user content to remove, restrict or promote. Distinct from what the law requires, which is usually far less.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a programme giving temporary protection from deportation to people brought to the U.S. as children. It confers no permanent status.

A statutory limit on how much the federal government may borrow. Raising it authorises payment for spending Congress has already approved rather than new spending.

The gap between what the government spends and collects in a single year. Distinct from the debt, which is the accumulated total of past deficits.

The idea that a punishment prevents crime by making the consequences clear in advance. Whether it works, and for which offences, is one of the most disputed questions in criminal justice.

The constitutional requirement that government follow fair procedures before depriving someone of life, liberty or property.

The body that formally elects the U.S. president, with each state allotted electors roughly in proportion to its congressional delegation.

A programme where anyone meeting the criteria is legally owed the benefit, so spending is driven by eligibility rather than by an annual budget decision.

A cost or benefit falling on someone who was not party to the transaction. Pollution is the standard example, and it underpins most arguments for carbon pricing.

A tactic for blocking a Senate vote by extending debate indefinitely. In practice it means most legislation needs 60 votes rather than a simple majority.

The constitutional provision protecting speech, religion, press, assembly and petition. It restrains government action, not private companies.

Drawing district boundaries to favour a party or group. The two classic methods are packing opposing voters into few districts and spreading them thin across many.

Someone doing task-based work through an app or platform, typically classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee.

A visa allowing U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialised occupations, capped annually and allocated by lottery when demand exceeds supply.

A worker treated as self-employed. They fall outside minimum wage, overtime, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation.

A general rise in prices, which reduces what a given amount of money buys. Distinct from a price rise confined to one sector.

The power of courts to strike down laws and executive actions they find unconstitutional. Not written into the Constitution, but established by the Supreme Court in 1803.

A sentencing law setting a floor a judge cannot go below, regardless of circumstances. Designed for consistency, criticised for removing discretion.

A benefit available only to people below an income or asset threshold, as opposed to a universal one available to everyone.

The lowest hourly rate an employer may legally pay. The federal floor has been $7.25 since 2009, though most states set higher rates.

Short for not in my back yard, describing local opposition to nearby development. Central to arguments about why housing supply lags demand.

A contract term barring a departing employee from working for a competitor for a set period. Distinct from a confidentiality agreement.

An approach to constitutional interpretation that asks what the text meant when it was adopted. Contrasted with readings that treat meaning as evolving.

A tax on wages, usually split between employer and employee, that funds Social Security and Medicare. Distinct from income tax.

A prior court decision that later courts are expected to follow. How strongly it binds is itself contested.

A government-run insurance plan offered alongside private ones, rather than replacing them. A middle position between the current system and single-payer.

A doctrine shielding officials from civil suits unless they violated a clearly established right. Most disputes turn on how specifically that phrase is read.

A system where voters rank candidates in order. If nobody has a majority, the lowest is eliminated and their votes redistributed until someone does.

The rate at which people convicted of crimes reoffend. Measured differently across studies, which is why cited figures vary so widely.

Redrawing legislative district boundaries, normally after each census, to reflect population changes.

Limits on how much a landlord may raise rent. Designs vary widely, and the effects depend heavily on which units are covered.

State laws barring agreements that require workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment.

A local decision limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. What it covers varies enormously between jurisdictions.

The constitutional provision on the right to keep and bear arms. Since 2008 it has been read as protecting an individual right, with the scope still litigated.

The 1996 provision stating platforms are not treated as the publisher of what their users post. It also protects good-faith removal of content.

A healthcare system where one public fund pays for care. Distinct from public provision, where the government also owns the hospitals.

The principle that courts should stand by settled decisions. It is why overturning a precedent requires more than disagreeing with it.

The sequence of suppliers and transport links needed to produce and deliver a good. Disruption is one competing explanation for recent inflation.

A tax on imported goods. Paid by the importer, though economists dispute how much is passed to consumers versus absorbed by foreign sellers.

Confidential business information that gives a firm an advantage. Protecting it is the stated reason for most non-compete agreements.

A regular cash payment made to everyone regardless of income or employment. Distinct from means-tested benefits, which phase out as earnings rise.

A requirement to show identification before voting. Rules differ sharply on which documents count and what happens without one.

Public money given to families to spend on private school tuition. The central dispute is whether it expands choice or drains district funding.

A mandated delay between purchasing a firearm and taking possession of it. Intended to interrupt impulsive acts rather than to prevent purchase.

A condition tying benefit eligibility to employment or job-seeking. Most disputes concern the administrative burden of proving compliance.

Local rules on what may be built where. Restrictions on density are central to arguments about housing costs.