POL 201 Chapter Three

Categorical grants

Federal aid to states and localities clearly specifying what the money can be used for

Block grants

Federal grants to the states to be used for general activities; fewer rules than categorical grants

Conditional grants

Federal grants with provisions requiring that state and local govs follow certain policies in order to obtain funds

Why is the supremacy clause important for federalism? A. it ultimately gives the national government the final say on most issues B. it ultimately gives the states the final say on most issues C. it establishes the system under which people may challenge federal issues in state courts

A

Civil War Amendments

13th, 14th, 15th Amendments, each of which represented the imposition of a national claim over that of the states

Which of the following is an argument in favor of a strong national gov? A. a strong national gov ensures consistent standards on key issues affecting the entire country B. a strong national gov provides a strong system of public education C. a strong national gov means less political corruption

A

Which type of grant gives money to the states for general purposes (such as secondary education) with few rules attached? A. block grants B. growth grants C. general grants

A

Why do federal systems tend to be found in nations comprised of regions that are distinctive economically and culturally? A. federal systems give these distinctive regions the local authority that is necessary to maintain their identity while allowing them to benefit from the resources of the entire country B. countries with distinctive regions owe their differences to periods of colonialsim

A

Mandate

A formal order from the national gov that the states carry out certain policies

Civil RIghts Act of 1964

A law that banned discrimination based on race, sex, or national origin in public accomodations, and gave the attorney general the power to sue local and state govs that maintained racially segregated schools

Dual Federalism

A system of federalism in which state and national powers are neatly divided between the national and state governments

What is federalism?

A system of government under which powers are divided between the central gov. and smaller units, such as states or provinces

Interstate compacts

Agreements among states to cooperate on solving mutual problems; requires approval from Congress

Nullification

An attempt by states to declare national laws or actions null and void

James Madison's argument in the Federalist No10 reflects which of the following? A. a rejection of political difference in a young, fragile nation B. an embrace of expanded and diverse U.S. C. an acceptance

B

What was the purpose of the part of the ACA that forced states to expand Medicaid by increasing the income level at which people qualify? A. to make sure all senior citizens have health insurance B. to provide health insurance to those whose incomes were too high to qualify for Medicaid but not high enough to afford their own health insurance

B

Which of the following could be a Congressional power under the "necessary and proper clause"? A. imposition of taxes B. Creation of a national bank C. declaration of war

B

Which of the following helps account for why the power of the national government has increased over time? A. under constitutional amendment, the shared powers of the fed gov and the states have to be curtailed during times of national crisis B. the Supreme Court has historically supported the national government's efforts to solve national problems via the 14th Amendment

B

Why does the federal government provide grants to states? A. to reduce the federal gov's role in national affairs B. to expand national policy influence over state and local activities

B

Which of the following describes the role of the states in a federal system of government? A. minimally effective entities with no Constitutional authority B. supremely empowered components with the potential to override federal influence C. vital political entities with constitutionally designated powers

C

Prior to the 20th century, federal grants to the states were primarily used to A. address issues of social welfare B. confront crime C. promote internal improvements

C

What constitutional principle allows the national gov to have an impact on state-level civil rights violations under the Civil Rights Act of 1964? A. cooperative federalism between the states and national gov B. lifetime tenure for Supreme Court justices C. regulation of interstate commerce as a federal power

C

When the Supreme Court ruled that many civil liberties in the Bill of Rights also provided protections against the power of the states, what legal principle was it upholding? A. equal protection B. nullification C. due process

C

Which constitutional amendment states that those powers not given to the federal government and not prohibited are reserved to the states and to the people? A. the 14th' B. the 8th C. the 10th

C

Which of the following is an argument in favor of strong state governments? A. strong state govs facilitate a strong national gov. B. strong state govs ensure that policies are consistent across the country C. strong state govs allow for policy innovation and experimentation

C

While the program was short-lived, general revenue sharing reflected the conservative belief that ___ A. national policies should be carried out using state funding B. the federal gov should maintain authority over all aspects of grants to the states C. states should use federal funding as they deem necessary

C

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)

Federal welfare program that provides income and services to poor families via state block grants

Cooperative federalsim

Federalism in which the powers and responsibilities of the states and the national gov are intertwined and in which they work together to solve common problems; said to have characterized the 1960s and 1970s

Grants-in-aid

Funds from the national gov to state and local govs to help pay for programs created by the national gov

What is the significance of the McCulloch v. Maryland decision (1819)?

It affirmed the authority of the national government over the states by saying that the federal government did not have to pay state taxes on a national bank

Police powers

Powers of a government to protect the health, safety, and general well-being of its people

Concurrent powers. What are some examples?

Powers under the Constitution that are shared by the federal government and the states -power to levy taxes, borrow money for public use, spend money for protection

"unfunded mandates"

Requirements imposed by the federal gov on the states to perform certain actions, with not enough money provided to fulfill the requirements

Equal protection clause

Section of the 14th amendment that provides for equal treatment by government of people residing within the U.S.

While federalism is designed to prevent abuses of power, some political scientists contend that the system has at times allowed for the ease of such abuse. What is a historical ex?

Southern imposition of slavery and discrimination of African Americans without interfernece from the North

Preemption

States cannot act in certain matters when the national government has authority

Horizontal federalism

Term used to refer to relationships among states

Fiscal federalism

That aspect of federalism having to do with federal grants to the states

Full faith and credit clause

That states must respect the public acts, laws, and judicial rulings of other states

What did the Supreme Court rule in NFIB v. Sebellius about the Medicaid expansion in the ACA?

That the expansion was unconstitutional because it was a coercive use of Congress' spending power that put states in the unfair position of implementing the Medicaid expansion or losing all their federal Medicaid funding

"laboratories of democracy"

The ability of states in the US federal system to experiment with policy ideas. The success or failure of state policies can then be template for national policy action

Unitary system

The central government has complete power over its constituent units/states

The state's rights position contends that the framers of the Constitution intended the states to be coequal with the national gov. Which of the following statements do advocates of this position use to support this claim?

The constitution was ratified by the states, not by a vote of the public

Devolution. When did this become popular?

The delegation of authority over government programs from the federal gov down to the state/local govs. -during the 1980s and 1990s

Advocates of strong state govs emphasize the geographic proximity citizens have to local politicians. Believers in strong national gov contend that this physical closeness is insignificant because

The national gov is still more responsive to citizens calls for action

Reservation clause

The part of the 10th amendment that says those powers not given to the federal government and not prohibited to the states by the Constitution are reserved for the states and the people

How can federalism reduce the risk of bad public policy and the rejection of the popular will?

The presence of multiple govs at various levels increases the likelihood that progress can be made at one level even if it is settled on another

The due process clause

The section of the 14th amendment that prohibits the states from depriving anyone of life, liberty, or property "without due process of law"

Nationalist position

The view of American federalism that holds that the Constitution created a system in which the national gov is supreme, relative to the states, and that it granted that gov a broad range of powers and responsibilities

State's Rights Position

The view of American federalism that holds that the Constitution created a system of dual sovereignty in which the national government and the state governments are sovereign in their own spheres

Many of the policies enacted by states in the area of civil rights and the environment are the result of federal_____

mandates

Affordable Care Act (ACA)

the far-reaching health care reform law passed in 2010. The act was aimed at increasing access to health insurance for all Americans and driving down the rising, burdensome cost of health care in the U.S.

In a confederation, ultimately power rests with_____

the states