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Directions: This learning unit reviews basic concepts for the study of government and politics, as found in your textbook. Fill in the blank spaces in the sentences below with the correct words, then forward electronically. Note: where two or more words are required, there will be two or more blank spaces.

In addition to the formal machinery of government at the president's command, he has other, (1)  resources — his reputation, his personality and style, his ability to arouse public opinion, his political party, and his advisers and friends.

The president, the vice president, the heads of the major executive departments of the government, and sometimes certain other senior officials constitute the (2) .

Perhaps because the cabinet is entirely a creature of custom, it is a relatively (3)  institution.

During the 1980 campaign, (4)  promised, if elected, to institute a "cabinet government," in which the president and members of his cabinet arrived at decisions together.

However, one administration official acknowledged that in practice, "cabinet government is an (5) ."

Because cabinet members tend to adopt the parochial view of their own departments, it has been said that they are a president's "(6) ."

Modern presidents depend on (7)  staffs.

With access to the White House Situation Room, the president's (8)  adviser may emerge as a powerful rival to the secretary of state.

Under the umbrella of the (9)  of the President, there are more than half a dozen key agencies serving the president directly.

The members of the National Security Council (NSC) are the president, the vice president, and the secretaries of (10)  and .

Under President Reagan, the NSC played a central role in the events that became known as the (11) - scandal.

The Office of Management and Budget was designed to tighten presidential control over the federal (12)  and improve its performance.

The United States trade representative, who carries the rank of (13) , represents the president in international trade and tariff negotiations.

Under the Constitution, the vice president presides over the (14)  and votes in that body only in case of a tie.

Traditionally, the candidate for vice president is chosen by the presidential nominee to (15)  the ticket, to add geographic or some other strength to the campaign.

Many presidents have had a (16) " cabinet" of informal advisers who hold no official position at the White House.

A president's (17)  is, in some cases at least, an important influence on both politics and policy.

A modern president relies on a (18)  to speak for him in day-to-day dealings with the news media, and to act as a  by fielding questions the president might not want to answer.