Chapter 1 - Interpretations and debates Flashcards
In how many states is the death penalty legal?
29; illegal in 21 states.
How many states have 0% tax?
7
What is the tax rate in California?
13%
In how many states is marijuana legal?
11
Who decides the boundaries for districts in each state?
The state governments
What is a sanctuary city?
A city where state law prohibits local law enforcement from assisting federal officials in identifying illegal immigrants.
What Supreme Court ruling in March 2018 upheld the autonomy of the states?
The Department of Justice took the state of California to court over its sanctuary city laws but lost.
What does the CARES Act 2020 suggest about state autonomy?
Their independence is undermined by their reliance of federal funding.
What does the Department of Homeland Security mean for state autonomy?
The department coordinates the defence strategies for states and cities rather than allowing each to do it themselves, undermining their independence.
What did Thomas Jefferson say about amending the Constitution?
‘each generation’ should update the Constitution ‘every nineteen or twenty years’ to all allow for ‘periodical repairs, from generation to generation, to the end of time’.
When was Roe v Wade?
1973
What is Roe v Wade 1973?
The Supreme Court declared that the Fourteenth Amendment right of liberty included the right of abortion.
When was Obergefell v Hodges?
2015
What is Obergefell v Hodges 2015?
The Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment included the right to same-sex marriage.
Why do some people see interpretive amendments as a weakness of the Constitution?
They argue that if the Constitution is to be changed it should be done by proper amendments, not by an unelected body.
