Politics Ch 3

necessary and proper clause

Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution provides Congress with the authority to make all laws needed to carry out its expressed powers even if those always are not specifically mentioned in the Contitution

unfunded mandates

National standards or programs imposed on state and local governments by the federal government without accompanying funding or reimbursement

implied powers

Powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of Article i, Section 8, of the Constitution. Such powers are not specifically expressed but are implied through the expansive interpretation of delegated powers

reserved powers

Powers, derived from the tenth amendment of the constitution, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states; these powers are reserved to the states.

regulated federalism

a form of federalism in which congress imposes legislation on the states and localities requiring them to meet national standards

grant-in-aid

a general term for funds given by Congress to state and local governments

state sovereign immunity

a legal doctrine that holds that states cannot be sued for violating an act of Congress

federalism

a system of government in which a constitution divides power between a central government and regional governments

cooperative federalism

a type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals. Also known as intergovernmental cooperation

concurrent powers

authority possessed by both state and national governments, such as the power to levy taxes

block grants

federal funds given to state governments to pay for goods, services, or programs, with relatively few restrictions on how the funds may be spent

categorical grants-in-aid

funds given by Congress to states and localities and that are earmarked by law for specific categories, such as education or crime prevention

project grants

grant programs in which state and local governments submit proposals to federal agencies and for which funding is progived on a competitive basis

formula grant

grants-in-aid in which a formula is used to determine the amount of federal funds a state or local government will receive

home rule

power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs

police power

power reserved to the state to regulate the health, safety, welfare, and morals of its citizens

executive privilege

the claim that confidential communications between a president and the president's close advisors should not be revealed without the consent of the president

commerce clause

the clause found in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution which delegates to Congress the ower to "regulate commerce with Foreign nations, and among the several States and with the Indian tribes." This clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court to favor of national power over the economy

divided government

the condition in American government in which the presidency is controlled by one party while the opposing party controls one or both houses of congress

checks and balances

the mechanisms through which each branch of government is able to participate in and influence the activities of the other branches

expressed powers

the notion that the Constitution grants to the federal government only those powers specifically named in its text

legislative supremecy

the preeminent position assigned to congress by the constitution

states' rights

the principle that states should oppose increasing authority of the national government. This view was most popular before the Civil war

privileges and immunities clause

the provision from Article IV, section 2 of the Constitution that a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give its own residents special privileges

full faith and credit clause

the provision in Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution requiring that each state normally honors the public acts and judicial decisions that take place in another state

dual federalism

the system of government that prevailed in the United States from 1789 to 1937 in which most fundamental governmental powers were shared between the federal and state governments, with the states exercising the most important powers