Gov unit exam

Republic

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

block grants

A grant from a central government that a local authority can allocate to a wide range of services Granted to support a collection of general programs (e.g., urban development, transportation welfare reform)—more state leeway in spending of the money.

Confederation

A joining of several groups for a common purpose. Example: European Union

Elite Democracy

A political system in which the privileged classes acquire the power to decide by a competition for the people's votes and have substantial freedom between elections to rule as they see fit.

Federal mandate

A requirement imposed by the federal government as a condition for the receipt of federal funds.

The type of grant which provides federal funds to states for prescribed activities such as welfare, child care, education, social services, preventive health care, and health services are

Block Grants

Connecticut Compromise (Great Compromise)

Compromise agreement by states at the Constitutional Convention for a bicameral legislature based on population and an upper house in which each state would have two senators.

Proposal for a new ammendment

Const. Convention called by Congress at request of 2/3 of the States—serious implications and fears of such a gathering

Federalism

Constitutional arrangement of power whereby powers are distributed between a central government and sub-divisional governments.

Commerce Clause

Constitutional provision for the Gun Free School Zone Act

U.S. vs. Lopez (1995)

Did Congress have the constitutional power to establish the Gun Free Zones Act using the commerce clause? Did Congress have the constitutional power to take Lopez on trial and sentences him on the basis of the Commerce Clause? The Supreme Court refuted the Federal Government's argument by claiming that the Gun Free School Zones Act was not "substantially" related to commerce.

Revenue Sharing Grants

Distribution of a portion of federal tax revenues to state and local governments

National Supremacy

Doctrine established by McCulloch v. Maryland

States' Rights

Doctrine that supports decentralists and the 10th Amendment

Gonzales v. Raich (2005)

Does the Federal government have the Constitutional right to prohibit the growing of marijuana although the state allows it? Does congress have the power to have the CSA based on commerce clause? Raich lost the case. The government argued that they could regulate and prohibit substances (enacted Commerce Clause and CSA). They ruled that Congress had the ability to ban cannabis. The Supreme court ruled 6-3 in favor of Gonzales.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Explicitly stated and interpreted implicitly Clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government

Federalism is best suited for small nations with modest populations. T or F

False

The Federalist paper most clearly associated with the problems of factions and the ideas of federalism is

Federalist 10

_______________ is a form of government in which a constitution distributes powers between a central government and subdivisional governments.

Fedralism

Bill of Rights-

First 10 amendments to the Constitution

Categorical Grants

Funds allocated by formula with federal strings attached.

The President has no official role over Constitutional amendments.

True

National Powers

belonging to the national government

Funds appropriate for specific purposes, such as school lunches or the building of highways or airports, which are allocated by formula and subject to detailed federal conditions are

categorical grants

U.S. v. Morrison (2000)

civil court Does Congress have the constitutional power to use the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 through the Commerce Clause ? Brzonkala lost the case. They ruled a 5-4 decision Congress did not have the constitutional power to pass the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 through the Commerce Clause. (rape is non-economic issue) Influenced by US v. Lopez case

The term that refers to a system that delivers governmental goods and services to the people and calls for cooperation among various levels of government in getting the job done is called...?

cooperative federalism

In which of the following would the three groups most likely agree with one another?

decentralists, states' rights advocates, Antifederalists

The attempt to return many functions of government to the state level has been called

devolution revolution

States are prohibited from

making treaties with foreign governments

General purposes of federal grants include all of the following EXCEPT a. to solve national problems while minimizing the growth of federal agencies.This answer is incorrect. b. to supply state and local governments with revenue. c. to establish minimum national standards for highways. d. to be able to control state and local political systems

to be able to control state and local political systems

Which of the following is NOT a concurrent power shared by the national government and state governments? a. to charter local governments b. to tax citizens and businesses c. to borrow and spend money d. to protect civil rights

to charter local governments

Madison called the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands,

tyranny

The Constitutional base for the implied powers of Congress is

the necessary and proper clause

A court order directing an official to perform an official duty is called a(n)

writ of mandamus

Hyperpluralist Democracy

"Pluralism gone sour." There are so many groups, and they are so strong, that government has become gridlocked*** and is unable to act. INEFFICIENCY

Articles of Confederation (Decentralization) complaints against George III

1. Could not levy taxes or regulate commerce 2. Army small; Dependent on state militias 3. All thirteen states' consent necessary for any amendments 4. Sovereignty, independence retained by states 5. One vote in Congress for each state 6. Nine of thirteen votes in Congress required for any measure 7. Delegates to Congress picked, paid for by state legislatures 8. Little money coined by Congress 9. Territorial disputes between states led to open hostilities 10. No chief executive 11. No power to regulate interstate or foreign commerce 12. No national judicial system

There are approximately _______________ counties in the United States.

3,000

Ratification: 2 methods

3/4 of state legislatures all but one (21st) done this way some require a Supermajority—e.g., 3/5, 2/3, 3/4 Ratifying Conventions in 3/4 of states. Amendment 21 done this way. A more directly democratic way: people elect delegates who state their positions on the proposed amendment.

The total number of governmental units in the United States is approximately

85,000

Devolution Revolution/New Federalism

The effort to slow the growth of the federal government by returning many functions to the states.

project grants

A type of categorical grant based on merit. Example: Freeways/highways, build a bridge, research project for a university

State Powers

Amendment 10 —any powers not delegated to the national govt. are reserved for the states. Ex: establishing voting requirements, running elections, licensing professionals, protecting community health, establishing a vehicle code, marriage licenses.

Which article of the Constitution allows Congress to call a Constitutional Convention?

Article V

The National Supremacy Clause is found in

Article VI

In a system of checks and balances

Constitutional system in which each branch of government places limits on the power of other branches

Block Grants

Gives states greater flexibility in how to spend federal funds.

divided government

Governance divided between the parties, as when one holds the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.

Pluralist Democracy

Group based activism by nongovernmental interests striving to impact political decision making. Political resources are so scattered that no single elite has a monopoly on them. "Everybody wins some of the time but nobody wins all the time."

Centralists

Group of people who favor national action over action at the state and local levels.

categorical grants

Issued by the Congress which may be spent only for narrowly defined purposes. Voluntary Examples: Building of airports/bridges or welfare payments to low-income mothers

The statement, "...you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it control itself," was written by

James Madison

Virginia Plan

Large states favored the Virginia Plan: Bicameral based on population

Extradition

Legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

The Supreme Court's power of judicial review was established in the case of

Marbury v. Madison

Cooperative Federalism (Marble Cake)

Political arrangement in which national, state, and local governments interact cooperatively and collectively to solve problems A product of the New Deal and altering the nature of federalism.

Dual Federalism (Layer Cake)

Political arrangement in which power is divided between federal and state governments in clearly defined terms Each level of government is dominant within its own sphere.

Concurrent Powers

Powers held jointly by the national and state governments. Ex: taxing, borrowing, establishing court system, establishing law enforcement agencies. Questions of fed./state authority are decided by courts.

Implied Powers

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions.

Express Powers

Powers the Constitution specifically grants to one of the branches of the national government. Example: Congress can raise an army

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Prevents states from treating citizens of another state in a discriminating manner.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Requires each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of other states.

New Jersey Plan:

Small States favored the New Jersey Plan: Unicameral Equal representation

Unitary System

The opposite of a confederation.

10th Amendment

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Inherent Powers

The powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government.

Preemption

The right of a federal law or a regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Whether or not the taxes imposed by Maryland were constitutional and if Congress had the right to reate national banks. (Necessary and Proper clause Art.1 Sect.8) Congress had the right to regulate interstate commerce, collect taxes, and borrow money. (Supremacy Clause Art.1) Maryland lacked the power to tax because federal law trumps state.

Unitary

a constitutional arrangement in which power is concentrated in the central government

Checks and balance system

a means of intentionally building inefficiency in order to prevent govt. abuse of power. Federalist #51

Participatory Democracy

a theory of democracy that holds that citizens should actively and directly control all aspects of their lives

The only method used thus far to propose amendments to the Constitution is

a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress

Delegated (expressed, enumerated)

actually stated in the Const. Article 1 Section 8

The clause in the Constitution that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations is known as the...

commerce clause.

Examples of concurrent powers include all of the following EXCEPT the power to a. tax citizens and businesses. b.conduct elections. c. establish courts. d. protect civil rights.

conduct elections

The "full faith and credit" clause of the Constitution allows people to move among the states because ____ made in one state will be recognized in all other states as well.

contracts

The case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) addressed the issue of

division of power between state and national government.

Privileges and immunities Clause

each state must grant to citizens of other states the same rights and privileges that they grant to their own citizens. States can not unreasonably discriminate against citizens of other states i.e. College Tuitions, Driving Code

Full Faith and Credit Clause

each state must honor the laws and legal proceedings of other states. e.g., marriages and debts and discuss defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) federal government protects same sex marriage then court ruled DOMA unconstitutional 2013 United State's v. Windsor.

Powers reserved to the states include all of the following EXCEPT the power to a. conduct elections. b. charter local government c. establish national courts d. create a republican form of government.

establish national courts

The most clearly delegated powers, those actually written in the Constitution, are

express powers

When individuals charged with crimes have fled from one state to another, the state to which they have fled is to deliver them to the proper officials upon the demand of the executive authority of the state from which they fled. This process is called

extradition

Controversies concerning recognizing same-sex marriage from one state versus another may come to the Supreme Court under the ______ clause of the Constitution.

full faith and credit

The constitutional provision that ensures that state courts enforce civil judgments of the courts of other states and accept their public records as valid is found in the

full faith and credit clause

Questions regarding in-state tuition for students who are financially dependent on their parents who remain citizens of another state are covered under the

interstate privileges and immunities clause.

Centralists favor

national action over action at the state or local levels.

Subdivision of government are called all but a. states. b. republics. c. nations. d. provinces.

nations

inherent powers

not stated explicitly, but held by the national govt. by virtue of its being a national govt. Any govt. is entitled to certain foreign policy powers such as diplomatic recognition, acquiring territory, or defending itself

Implied powers

not stated explicitly, but suggested implicitly: Importance of elastic clause. Necessary and Proper

When a federal law or regulation takes over and prevents enforcement of a state or local law or regulation, it is termed...

preemption

The three types of federal grants presently being administered include all of the following EXCEPT a. categorical-formula grants. b. block grants. c. social grants. d. project grants.

social grants

U.S. Senators were originally selected by

state legislatures

Popular Sovereignty

supreme or ultimate authority derived from the people over an autonomous state