| A | B |
|---|
| discretionary spending | optional part of federal budget |
| mandatory spending | includes entitlements; guaranteed spending on certain programs |
| federal deficit | yearly amount US spends over what it receives in revenue |
| federal debt | total amount of money US gov owes |
| logrolling | when legislators trade votes to each other's benefit |
| pork barrel spending | "earmarks"; federal funding brought home to district or state |
| entitlements | type of mandatory spending; includes Social Security and Medicare |
| gridlock | when little to nothing gets passed in Congress due to divided government |
| divided government | When one party controls the Presidency and another controls either house of Congress |
| interest on the national debt | smallest (but growing) part of Federal budget |
