Chapter 3- American Federalism Flashcards
Bill of Attainder
A legislative action declaring someone guilty without a trial; prohibited under the constitution
Block Grant
A type of grant that comes with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipients more latitude over how to spend grant funds
Categorical Grant
A federal transfer formulated to limit recipients discretion in the use of funds and subject them to strict administrative criteria
Concurrent powers
Shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and making and enforcing laws to establishing court systems
Cooperative federalism
A style of federalism in which both levels of government coordinate their actions to solve national problems, leading to the blending of layers as in a marble cake
Creeping categorization
A process in which the national government attaches new administrative requirements to block grants or supplants them with new categorical grants
Devolution
A process in which powers from the central government in a unitary system are delegated to subnational units
Dual federalism
A style of federalism in which the state and national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction, creating a layer cake view of federalism
Elastic clause
The last clause of article 1, section 8, which enables the national government “to open all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying” out all its constitutional responsibilities
Ex post facto law
A law that criminalizes an act retroactively (with effect from a date in the past); prohibited under the constitution
Federalism
And institutional arrangement that creates to relatively autonomous levels of government, each possessing the capacity to act directly on the people with authority granted by the national Constitution
Full faith and credit clause
Found an article 6, section 1, of the constitution, this clause requires states to accept court decisions, public acts, and contracts of other states; also referred to as a comity provision
General revenue sharing
A type of federal grant that places minimal restrictions on how state and local government spend the money
Immigration federalism
The gradual movement of state into the immigration policy domain traditionally handled by the federal government
New federalism
A style of federalism premised on the idea that the decentralization of policies enhances administrative efficiency, reduces overall public spending, and improves outcomes
