AP Gov Chapter 3 Flashcards
Federalism
The division of power across the local state, and national government.
Sovereign Power
The supreme power of an independent state to regulate its internal affairs without foreign affairs.
Police Power
The power to enforce laws and provide for public safety.
Concurrent Power
Responsibilities for particular policy areas, such as transportation, that are shared federal, state, and local governments. Both states and federal governments have this power; an example, taxation.
Unitary Government
A system in which the national, centralized government holds ultimate authority. It is the most common form of government in the world.
Confederal Government
A form of government in which state hold power over a limited national government.
Intergovernmental Organization
Organization that seek to coordinate policy across member nations.
Full Faith and Credit Clause
Part of the Article IV of the constitution requiring that each state’s laws be honored by the other states. For example, a legal marriage in one state must be recognized across state lines.
Privileges and Immunities
Part of Article IV of the constitution requiring that states must treat non state residents within their borders as they would treat their own residents. This was meant to promote commerce and travel between states.
States Rights
The idea that states are entitled to a certain amount of self-government intervention. This became a central issue in the period leading up to the civil war.
Dual Federalism
The form of federalism favored by Chief Justice Roger Taney in which national and state government are seen as distinct entities providing separate services. This model limits the power of the national government.
Cooperative Federalism
A form of federalism in which national and state governments work together to provide services efficiently. This form emerged in the late 1930s, representing a profound shift toward less concrete boundaries responsibility in national-state relations.
Picket Fence Federalism
A more refined and realistic form of cooperative federalism in which policy makers within a particular policy area work together across the level of government.
Fiscal Federalism
A form of federalism in which federal funds are allocated (resources or duties) to the lower levels of government through transfer payment grants.
Categorical Grants
Federal aid to state or local government that is provided for a specific purpose, such as mass-transit program within the transportation budget or a school lunch program within the education budget.
Block Grants
Federal aid provided to a state government to be spent within a certain policy area, but the state can decide how to spend the money within that area.
Unfunded Mandates
Federal laws that require the states to do certain things but do not provide state governments within funding to implement these policies.
Coercive Federalism
A form of federalism in which the federal government pressures the states to change their policies by using regulations, mandates, and conditions (ofter involving threats to withdraw federal funding). Example, blood alcohol laws.
Federal Preemption
Impositions of national priorities on the states through national legislation that is based on the Constitution’s supremacy clause.
Competitive Federalism
A form of federalism in which states compete to attract businesses and jobs through the policies they adopt.
Remedial Legislation
National laws that address discriminatory state laws. Authority for such legislation comes form section5 of the Fourteenth Amendment.
10th Amendment
The powers not given to the federal government are held by the states or by the people.
14th Amendment
Citizenship is defined; all citizens are guaranteed equal protection of the law.
5 Federalism
Dual federalism, cooperative federalism, fiscal federalism, new federalism, coercive federalism.
