Chapter 03. Federalism

categorical grants: federal funds to states for a specific purpose offer more power to the federal government block grants offer more flexibility federal funds to states for a general policy purpose offer more power to states

Contrast the differences between block grants and categorical grants by matching each characteristic to the correct term.

Federal Intergovernmental relations

In a __________ government system, some powers are shared by different levels of government and others are not. The process of determining how the different levels of government will assume responsibility over a policy is known as __________

Federal and state governments largely take care of different issues and do not interact much.- Dual Congress creates a new law that imposes a burden on states that they must follow. - Regulated The federal government offers money to states as an incentive to persuade them to pursue a new policy. - Cooperative

Federalism has come in various forms in different eras of American government. Match each kind of federalism with an example of it in action.

The federal government sets a new environmental standard for emissions, and states are required to follow it.- regulated A limited national government helps build roads and promote infrastructure, but otherwise most responsibilities are left to the states. - Dual The federal government provides grants to the states to encourage them to use more evidence-based practices in their education curricula. - Cooperative

Match each kind of federalism with an example of it.

Same question

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10th Amendment (Many argue that Supreme Court decisions in the 1930s weakened the force of the Tenth Amendment.)

Which amendment to the Constitution is most frequently cited to bolster arguments in favor of states' rights?

1789 - 1937 (This was the first system of federalism used in the United States.)

During which period of time has the United States had a system of dual federalism?

Picture South Carolina Iowa California Connecticut

Study the Who Are Americans? infographic to answer the question that follows. Order the following states according to which state receives the most federal spending per dollar of federal taxes to which state receives the least federal spending per dollar of federal taxes.

Full Faith and Credit Clause A marriage license granted in one state must be recognized in all the others. You can drive from one side of the country to the other without having to stop and get a new driver's license in each state. Privileges and Immunities Clause A state cannot deny welfare benefits to new residents just because they have only recently moved to that state. A state must charge all people the same sales tax rates on groceries.

Determine whether each of the following is an example of the full faith and credit clause or the privileges and immunities clause.

Correct Answer(s) Federal grants-in-aid became a powerful tool to redirect state governments' policy. The federal government took a more active role than before in providing economic security for Americans. Incorrect Answer(s) President Roosevelt limited the power of the states based on the rationale that they were no longer politically stable. Congress reacted to a weak economy by limiting the power of the federal government, turning over responsibilities to combat the Great Depression to the states.

How did the Great Depression influence the power of the federal government?

Correct Answer(s) Federal grants-in-aid have doubled since about 1995. Federal grants-in-aid had their sharpest increase in the period 1990-2005. Incorrect Answer(s) Federal grants-in-aid have increased every year since 1995.

Study the graph on federal grants-in-aid, and determine which of the following statements are accurate.

Picture Correct Answer(s) The amount of money the federal government gives to states for education and transportation is close to the same. Healthcare is the largest category of federal grants to state and local governments. Incorrect Answer(s) Federal grants to local museums are dwarfing the rest of the budget.

Study the information presented in the Who Are Americans? infographic to answer the question that follows.Which of the following statements about federal grants to the states are accurate?

Proper Exercise of Reserved Powers The state of Iowa alters its regulations on groundwater pollution from fertilizer. The state of California requires lawyers to obtain particular credentials before they can practice law. Improper Exercise of Reserved Powers The state of Alaska decides to leave the United States because it disagrees with a federal law. The state of Florida creates its own currency. The state of Texas signs a treaty with Mexico regulating immigration.

Which of the following are examples of states properly exercising their reserved powers?

Correct Answer(s) The Congressional Budget Office must assess the cost of any particularly expensive unfunded mandates. Congress is required to find funding for unfunded mandates that exceed the maximum amount set by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. Incorrect Answer(s) Congress allows states not to comply with mandates that do not come with adequate funding. States are allowed to preempt federal laws for which the states have no funding.

Which steps has the government taken to reduce the burden of unfunded mandates?

Picture 30% (There is a 30-percentage-point gap between older voters and younger voters. Because older voters vote at much higher rates than younger votes, older voters have a much larger impact on elections. Nearly 7 in 10 older voters voted in 2018, whereas less than 4 in 10 younger voters voted in 2018.)

By how many percentage points are Americans 65 and older more likely to vote than Americans ages 18 to 29?

Federal- expressed, implied State- Reserved Federal and state - Concurrent

Match the type of power to the correct level of government.

Picture Seattle (Seattle has the highest turnout in municipal elections among these cities. It would be a fine city to study first.)

Study the information presented in the Who Participates? infographic and answer the question that follows about turnout. Suppose you were a member of a San Antonio group that wanted to promote voter registration and increase turnout in local elections. Based on the data presented in this chart, which city would you most likely study first if boosting turnout was your biggest concern?

Nullification (The most extreme form of arguments in favor of states' rights, nullification is the idea that states do not have to obey any laws they believe exceed the national government's constitutional authority. John C. Calhoun, vice president under Andrew Jackson, was one of the most prominent proponents in favor of nullification.)

Suppose a state believes that it does not have to obey a federal law, because the law exceeds the national government's authority. What is this belief called?

privileges and immunities clause (Also known as the comity clause, this clause says that states should not favor their own citizens over the citizens of other states.The privileges and immunities clause says that states must treat visitors to their state the same as they treat residents.)

If a state gave its residents preference in obtaining work at the state's utility provider, this would likely violate which of the following constitutional clauses?

The Supreme Court upheld acts of Congress that increased the power of the federal government. (Supreme Court decisions after 1937 expanded the definition of the commerce clause, granting the federal government far more power to regulate activities in the states.)

In 1937, the Supreme Court made a series of significant decisions addressing federalism. How did these decisions influence the course of federalism in the United States?

powers derived from the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution - Implied Powers specific powers granted by the Constitution to Congress and to the president - Expressed powers authority possessed by both state and national governments - Concurrent Powers power reserved to the state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens - Police Powers powers, derived from the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, that are not specifically delegated to the national government or denied to the states -Reserved Powers

Match each term to its correct definition.

This system tends to occur in states with diverse ethnic or language groupings-Federal system A central government makes the most important decisions.-Unitary system Lower levels primarily implement central government decisions.-Unitary system A central government shares power with lower levels of government.-Federal system

Match each type of governmental system to its correct description.

State Governments National Government

One benefit of the federal structure is that by allowing the _________ to do most of the governing, the Constitution saved the ______ from many policy decisions that might have proved too divisive for a large and young country.

Dual Cooperative New

Order these eras of federalism by when they first started, from earliest to most recent.

Picture Correct Answer(s) Americans are much more likely to vote than participate in politics in other ways. The older the American citizen, the more likely they are to vote. Incorrect Answer(s) Within the last five years, most Americans have attended some sort of local government meeting. Younger Americans are more likely than older Americans to attend local government meetings.

Study the information presented in the Who Participates? infographic and answer the question that follows about turnout. Which of the following statements about turnout are accurate?

Correct Answer(s) The Supreme Court often must intervene to resolve balance-of-power issues between the states and the federal government. Conservatives are willing to increase federal power, just as liberals are willing to expand state autonomy. Incorrect Answer(s) The federal government is now free to impose "all-or-nothing" conditions on the states. Fearing preemption, state and local governments tend to adopt a "wait and see" attitude before the federal government acts.

Which of the following statements on the balance between state and federal power today are accurate?

False (In times of national crises such as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and the financial crisis that began in 2008, the federal government tends to gain power and assert a stronger role.)

National crises tend to shift power away from the federal government.

Advantage of a Strong National Government The national interest sometimes overrides the local needs of the states. Competition between different state and local governments to attract businesses to their communities can undermine other policy goals. Disadvantage of a Strong National Government Federally administered programs are not always fully funded by the federal government. State and local governments understand the needs of their citizens better than does the federal government.

A strong federal government, and its influence over policy, offers some advantages that devolution and greater state control over more policies might not. Identify the potential advantages and disadvantages of having a strong national government with a strong influence over policy.

State and local governments understand the needs of their citizens better than does the federal government.-disadvantage of a strong national government Federally administered programs are not always fully funded by the federal government.-disadvantage of a strong national government Competition between different state and local governments to attract businesses to their communities can undermine other policy goals.-Advantage of a strong national government The national interest sometimes overrides the local needs of the states.-Advantage of a strong national government

A strong federal government, and its influence over policy, offers some advantages that devolution and greater state control over more policies might not. Identify the potential advantages and disadvantages of having a strong national government with a strong influence over policy.

Correct Answer(s) The Constitution prohibits states from passing laws that favor their citizens over citizens of other states. The Constitution requires states to honor the public acts and judicial proceedings of each other. States need congressional approval to enter into agreements with one another. Incorrect Answer(s) The Constitution prohibits states from regulating licensing and private property.

How does the Constitution promote the idea that the states are part of a larger nation and not independent entities?

Power is divided between the national and state governments. (Federal systems divide power between at least two entities. In the United States, power is divided between the national government and state governments.)

How is power distributed in the U.S. federal system?

Diffusion (Diffusion doesn't just occur across states. It can also occur between levels of government. An example is smoking bans. In 1990, San Luis Obispo, CA, adopted a smoking ban in bars and restaurants. Within eight years, the state of California adopted a similar ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces, and the federal government banned smoking on commercial flights.)

In 1991, Minnesota was the first state to create charter schools. Since then, 44 states and Washington, D.C., have adopted or permit charter schools in their jurisdictions, partially as a result of Minnesota's decision to do so. This is an example of which concept?

gave power to the federal government McCulloch v. Maryland Gibbons v. Ogden gave power to the states United States v. Lopez Printz v. United States

Different Supreme Court cases impacted the balance of power between the federal government and the states. Which cases made the states more powerful, and which made the federal government more powerful?

The federal government did not trust states to implement new federal policies in areas such as civil rights and the War on Poverty. (The federal government gave grants-in-aid directly to local governments and nonprofit organizations. Federal politicians did not trust state governments to equitably care for all their citizens.)

In the 1960s, state governments began to lose power relative to the federal government. What was the primary cause of this change?

Correct Answer(s) State and local governments made most of the laws that impacted daily life. Very little overlap existed between the powers of the federal and state governments. Incorrect Answer(s) States were allowed to negotiate treaties with other nations to secure favorable trade conditions. The federal government's policies were mostly aimed at coercing citizens' behavior. Back To Report

In the early 1800s, during the era of dual federalism, which statements accurately describe the relationship between the powers of federal and state governments?

False (In regulated federalism, the national government sets policy for the states, including national standards, conditional grants, and unfunded mandates; and the state governments then help pay for and administer those programs. In New Federalism, the national government provides funding in the form of block grants, revenue sharing, and devolution, while state governments have flexibility to make policy and administer programs.)

States prefer regulated federalism to block grants.

Picture Correct Answer(s) In none of these cities does a majority of the voting-age population turn out for municipal elections. Incorrect Answer(s) Washington, D.C., has the highest turnout in municipal elections. The bigger the city, the higher the turnout.

Study the information presented in the Who Participates? infographic and answer the question that follows about turnout. Which of the following statements about turnout in major American cities are accurate?

Correct Answer(s) The federal government occasionally overrides state and local laws that are inconsistent with federal policies. The federal government sets national standards to which the states must adhere. The federal government uses grants-in-aid to reward states that enact policy in a manner consistent with congressional goals. Incorrect Answer(s) The federal government removes governors from office if they fail to enforce federal priorities.

The federal government often works to limit state-to-state variation in how policies are enacted. How does the federal government encourage policy standardization between states?

Categorical (These restrictions make categorical grants a good tool for federal control.)

This type of grant from the federal government to states and localities comes with a condition that the expenditure be limited to a specific problem.

The federal government raises accessibility standards for the disabled. Any state with less stringent standards than the federal minimum must raise them. (In this case, the federal government set a minimum standard that all states must meet. States can have differing accessibility standards as long as they are equal to or higher than the one set by the federal government.)

Which of the following is an example of preemption?

the full faith and credit clause (The full faith and credit clause says that states must honor the "public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings" of other states. If a family adopts a child, they can move anywhere in the country and the adoption will still be legal.)

Which part of the Constitution ensures that an adoption that occurs in Florida is still valid in Tennessee?

Correct Answer(s) the necessary and proper clause the commerce clause Incorrect Answer(s) the Tenth Amendment

Which parts of the Constitution led the Supreme Court to support the expansion of national power after 1937?