Chapter 3 Vocab Flashcards
Federal grants-in-aid that permit state and local officials to decide how the money will be spent within a general area, such as education or health
Block grants
Federal grants-in-aid to states and localities that can be used only for designated projects
Categorical grants
The authority granted Congress in 1, Section 8 of the Constitution to “regulate commerce” among the states
Commerce clause
A governmental system in which sovereignty is vested entirely in sub-national (state) governments
Confederacy
The situation in which the national, state, and local levels work together to solve problems
Cooperative federalism
The passing down of authority from the national governments to the state and local governments
Devolution
A doctrine based on the idea that a precise separation of national power and state power is both possible and desirable
Dual federalism
The seventeen powers granted to the national government under Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. These powers include taxation and the regulation of commerce as well as the authority to provide for the national defense
Enumerated (expressed) powers
A governmental system n which authority is divided between two sovereign levels of government: national and regional
Federalism
A term that refers to the expenditure of federal funds on programs run in part through states and localities
Fiscal federalism
Federal cash payments to states and localities for programs they administer
Grants-in-aid
The federal government’s constitutional authority (through the “necessary and proper” clause) to take action that is not expressly authorized by the Constitution but that supports actions that are so authorized
Implied powers
The process by which national authority has increased over the course of US history as a result primarily of economic change but also of political action
Nationalization
The authority granted Congress in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” for the implementation of its enumerated powers
“Necessary and proper” (elastic) clause
The powers granted to the states under the Tenth amendment to the Constitution
Reserved powers
