0006 Powers and Procedures of the National, State, Local and Tribal Governments (SMR 4.6)

Question 1

What are the rights and responsibilities of the Federal Govt under the US Constitution? (4)

Answer 1

1. To protect the states
   i. e. in the war of 1812, Mexican American War
2. To conduct foreign policy and commerce
   i. e. preventing foreign wars through foreign policy
3. To regulate relationships between states
4. To regulate relationships between States and Indian tribes

Question 2

How has the rights and responsibilities of the Federal govt changed over the course of history?

Answer 2

• Federal govt increased power over new territories and new states with expansion
• Grew in authority over State powers during Cold War and New Deal era
• Increased power of taxation and financing that is independent of states

Question 3

What are the rights and responsibilities of the State govt under the US Constitution?

Answer 3

1. Internal commerce and economy
2. Conducting State wide and Federal elections
3. Policing and protection of the population
4. Maintain a republican form of govt

Question 4

How have state govt’s changed over the course of US history?

Answer 4

• Creation of new states on Federal territories
  I.e. as a new state comes in, they receive the right to have their own govt
• Civil War secessions changed the basis of power (federal govt gains more power and states lose right to have slaves)
• Federal govt slowly gained authority by forcing Confederate States to accept the 13th and 14th amendments

Question 5

What are the rights and responsibilities of Tribal govts?

Answer 5

1. Form own govt (some might have unicameral legislature, different than US)
2. Enforce civil and criminal laws in their own territory
3. Right to tax
4. Establish requirements for membership
5. License and regulate activities
6. Zone and exclude persons from tribal territories

Question 6

Do federal taxes apply to tribal govts?

Answer 6

Federal income taxes are not levied on trust lands held for them by US & State income taxes are not placed on income earned on Indian reservations and sales tax not paid on objects purchased on Indian reservation

Question 7

What limitations do tribal govts have?

Answer 7

They have the same limitations as states.

They cannot maker war, engage in foreign relations or coin their own money

Question 8

Why is campaign financing controversial?

Answer 8

Moneys can influence elections in a negative way

Question 9

Why is campaigning expensive?

Answer 9

Large country with 100 million voter turnout = campaigning is expensive, so “Friends of the President” have to develop to raise money which can steer and influence presidential policies

Question 10

Efforts to control campaign contributions have ______ for decades

Answer 10

increased

Question 11

What is a PAC?

Answer 11

Political Action Committee; initially an effort to make political contributions public, but actually allows powerful groups to bundle large contributions in order to get candidates elected that support the issues they care about

Question 12

How can independently financed groups negatively impact a candidate?

Answer 12

They can create vast, vicious ad campaigns beyond the control of the candidate.

I.e. 2008 election when Senator Mccain had ad campaigns against him that seemingly inspired him to choose Sarah Palin as his running mate

Question 13

Why has the supreme court allowed for campaign financing to continue?

Answer 13

Recent Supreme Court decisions have held that giving money is a form of political speech

Individuals have the right to contribute money to political candidates that support issues they support, it’s a form of free speech