GOVT2305 - U.S. Government - Chapter 3

block grants

Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community development and social services.

categorical grants

Federal grants that can be used only for specific purposes, or categories, of state and local spending. They come with strings attached, such as nondiscrimination provisions.

How did federalism affect efforts to end racial discrimination in the 1960s? -Policies to end racial discrimination were enacted at the state level, but not at the federal level. -Resistance by many states complicated and delayed efforts to end racial discrimination. -Federalism did not encourage or impede efforts to end racial discrimination. -States developed innovative policies that were later adopted by the national government.

Resistance by many states complicated and delayed efforts to end racial discrimination.

Which of the following policy areas does it make the most sense to handle at the national level rather than at the state level? -Social Security -motor vehicle regulations -public education -criminal law

Social Security

The Constitution denies states the power to __________. -run national elections -provide public services -issue paper money -ratify constitutional amendments

issue paper money

What factor is associated with whether a state has the death penalty? -its funding for prisons -its murder rate -its partisan make-up -its population size

its partisan make-up

Which of the following is an example of devolution? -requiring states to enforce immigration laws -requiring states to expand Medicaid -repealing federal speed limits -stiffening penalties for criminals

repealing federal speed limits

Of the 190 or so nations in the world, the number with federal systems is between ___________. -50 and 60 -10 and 20 -80 and 90 -120 and 130

10 and 20

The number of governments in the United States is nearly __________. -25,000 -50,000 -10,000 -90,000

90,000

unitary government

A central government that holds supreme power in a nation. Most national governments today are unitary governments.

full faith and credit

A clause in Article IV of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of all other states.

McCulloch v. Maryland

An 1819 Supreme Court decision that established the supremacy of the national government over state governments. The Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, held that Congress had certain implied powers in addition to the powers enumerated in the Constitution. privileges and immunities The provision of the Constitution according citizens of each state the privileges of citizens of any state in which they happen to be. project grants Federal categorical grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of applications.

Why would state officials prefer block grants over other types of federal grants? -Unlike other grants, block grants are administrated by the federal government. -Unlike other grants, block grants are distributed to all states. -Block grants are typically larger than other federal grants. -Block grants give states broad discretion in how to use the funds.

Block grants give states broad discretion in how to use the funds.

Which of the following is a limit on the supremacy of national law over state law? -National law must be consistent with state law. -National law must be consistent with the Constitution. -National law must be in place prior to state law. -National law must be broader in scope than state law.

National law must be consistent with the Constitution.

enumerated powers

Powers of the federal government that are listed explicitly in the Constitution. For example, Article I, Section 8, specifically gives Congress the power to coin money and regulate its value and impose taxes.

implied powers

Powers of the federal government that go beyond those enumerated in the Constitution, in accordance with the statement in the Constitution that Congress has the power to "make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution" the powers enumerated in Article I.

fiscal federalism

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government's relations with state and local governments.

devolution

Transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local governments.

What distinguishes categorical grants from block grants? -Categorical grants account for a smaller share of federal funding to states. -Unlike block grants, categorical grants are distributed on the basis of population. -Unlike block grants, categorical grants come with strings attached. -Unlike block grants, categorical grants typically involve crossover sanctions.

Unlike block grants, categorical grants come with strings attached.

The United Nations is an example of what type of governing system? -a confederation -a federal system -an intergovernmental relations system -a unitary system

a confederation

Which of the following is an example of a formula grant? -a federal grant to a state to build a bridge -a federal grant to a state for Medicaid -a federal grant to a local government to support community development -a National Science Foundation grant to a university professor

a federal grant to a state for Medicaid

Which of the following federal policies would be justified under the implied powers of Congress? -ratification of a treaty -borrowing of money -tariffs on imported goods -air quality regulations

air quality regulations

How did the Supreme Court define interstate commerce in Gibbons v. Ogden? -as virtually every form of commercial activity -as only economic activities related to the federal government's enumerated powers -as only economic activities related to the federal government's implied powers -as only economic activities that cross state boundaries

as virtually every form of commercial activity

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of unitary government? -the relationship between the national government and American states -the relationships among the American states -the relationship between American states and local governments -the relationships among member countries in the European Union

the relationship between American states and local governments

The Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland established what key principle? -the supremacy of state governments over the national government in areas not mentioned in the Constitution -the supremacy of the national government over state governments -states' obligation to give full faith and credit to the laws of all other states -states' obligation to honor the privileges and immunities of all citizens

the supremacy of the national government over state governments

Since the end of World War II, the federal government's spending as a percentage of GDP has __________. -decreased steadily -increased steadily -remained at roughly the same level -experienced significant fluctuations

remained at roughly the same level

A typical feature of a government program involving cooperative federalism is __________. -crosscutting requirements -separate roles for the federal and state governments -shared costs -transfer of authority to local governments

shared costs

As a citizen in a federal system of government, you would have the opportunity to vote for __________. -local officials only -state officials only -state and central government officials -central government officials only

state and central government officials

Which of the following best explains the success of federal efforts to get states to raise the drinking age to 21? -the federal government's use of crosscutting requirements -political pressure from Mothers Against Drunk Driving -passage of a federal law raising the drinking age to 21 -the federal government's use of crossover sanctions

the federal government's use of crossover sanctions

One factor that lessens competition among states for federal funds is __________. -the overall decrease in grant funding since the 1990s -the principle of universalism -the fact that most grants are allocated using formulas -states' desire to avoid strings attached to categorical grants

the principle of universalism

What is the most common system of government in the world? -confederate government -federalism -republicanism -unitary government

unitary government

Gibbons v. Ogden

A landmark case decided in 1824 in which the Supreme Court interpreted very broadly the clause in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution and defined the power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce as encompassing virtually every form of commercial activity.

extradition

A legal process whereby a state surrenders a person charged with a crime to the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

cooperative federalism

A system of government in which states and the national government share powers and policy assignments.

dual federalism

A system of government in which the states and the national government each remain supreme within their own spheres, each with different powers and policy responsibilities.

federalism

A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government share formal authority over the same area and people.

What do all countries with federal systems have in common? -All have large populations -All are linguistically diverse -All are democracies -All are ethnically diverse

All are democracies

Which of the following countries has a federal system of government? -France -China -Indonesia -Canada

Canada

formula grants

Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations.

Which statement best describes the power of state governments in federal systems? -States share power with the central government. -States can overrule the central government on most matters. -States are less powerful than the central government. -States have few or no powers.

States share power with the central government.

How do the murder rates of states with the death penalty compare to those without the death penalty? -States with the death penalty have slightly lower murder rates. -States with the death penalty have slightly higher murder rates. -States with the death penalty have significantly lower murder rates. -States with the death penalty have significantly higher murder rates.

States with the death penalty have slightly higher murder rates.

How do confederations and federal systems differ in terms of the power held by the central government? -The central government has more power in a confederation than in a federal system. -The central government's powers are more distinct from state government powers in a confederation. -The power of the central government is the same in confederate and federal systems. -The central government has less power in a confederation than in a federal system.

The central government has less power in a confederation than in a federal system.

supremacy clause

The clause in Article VI of the Constitution that makes the Constitution, national laws, and treaties supreme over state laws as long as the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

Tenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment stating, "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."

intergovernmental relations

The entire set of interactions among national, state, and local governments—including regulations, transfers of funds, and the sharing of information—that constitute the workings of the federal system.

elastic clause

The final paragraph of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry out the enumerated powers.

What happened to the quasi-federal system of the former Soviet Union? -The national government dissolved, and smaller unitary governments formed. -Although the national government dissolved, the quasi-federal system remained in place -After the Soviet Union dissolved, smaller states formed into a confederation After the Soviet Union broke apart, federalism remained in Russia.

The national government dissolved, and smaller unitary governments formed.

Which statement best characterizes the national government's involvement in economic affairs? -The national government generally leaves economic policy to the states. -The national government has been involved in economic affairs since the Great Depression. -The national government has been involved in economic affairs since the founding. -The national government only gets involved in economic affairs during recessions.

The national government has been involved in economic affairs since the founding.

If the delegates at the Constitutional Convention had proposed a unitary system of government, what would have been the most likely result? -The states would have rejected the new Constitution. -Ratification would have proceeded, but more slowly. -Ratification would have happened more quickly. -The ratification process would not have changed in any significant way.

The states would have rejected the new Constitution.

Why are authoritarian regimes unlikely to be federal systems? -These regimes do not wish to disperse power away from the central government. -These regimes do not have ethnically diverse populations. -These regimes do not wish to meddle in state government decisions. -These regimes typically do not have written constitutions.

These regimes do not wish to disperse power away from the central government.

What do the Supreme Court cases United States v. Lopez and United States v Morrison have in common? -They both rely on broad interpretations of the Tenth Amendment. -They both assert the supremacy of national law over state law. -They both rely on limited interpretations of the interstate commerce clause. -They both identify implied powers of the national government.

They both rely on limited interpretations of the interstate commerce clause.

What trend has been seen with respect to federal grants-in-aid? -They increased from the 1960s to the 1990s, then began to decrease. -They have been steady since the 1990s. -They have decreased slowly since the 1960s. -They have grown rapidly since the 1960s.

They have grown rapidly since the 1960s.

How did congressional Republicans in the 1990s move away from President Reagan's approach to federalism? -They were more willing to allocate federal funds to the states. -They were more aggressive in their push for devolution. -They were stronger advocates of dual federalism. -They were more willing to use the federal government to restrict states.

They were more willing to use the federal government to restrict states.

What do child labor laws, minimum-wage legislation, and civil rights protections have in common? -They were pioneered at the state level. -They were initially funded by categorical grants. -They are subject to crosscutting requirements. -They follow the model of dual federalism.

They were pioneered at the state level.

The full faith and credit clause makes it possible for courts to enforce __________. -contracts between business firms across state boundaries -extradition orders -laws allowing lower college tuition for in-state students -laws mandating a uniform sales tax

contracts between business firms across state boundaries

One way that federalism contributes to democracy is by __________. -giving the national government supremacy over states -keeping government out of economic affairs -reducing complexity of the governing process -decentralizing politics and allowing a pluralism of interests

decentralizing politics and allowing a pluralism of interests

One advantage of federalism is that it __________. -encourages bipartisan cooperation -discourages untested policy ideas -encourages policy innovation at the state level -discourages states from reducing social services

encourages policy innovation at the state level

State funding for public education is best characterized as __________. -uniformly low and decreasing -uniformly low, but increasing -highly uneven across states -relatively high, due to federal matching funds

highly uneven across states