Federalism Terms Flashcards
Federalism Terms
Federalism
A form of governing that implies that the power is equal between the states and federal government
Unitary Government
A system of government in which most or all of the power is given to the national government
Confederal Government
A system of government in which the states have more power than the national government
Federal Government
A system of government in which the federal government and state governments have equal power; federalism
Dual Federalism
A type of federalism in which the national and state government have separate and distinct powers
Cooperative Federalism
A type of federalism in which the powers of the national government and the state government overlap
Expressed/ Enumerated Powers
the powers literally listed in the constitution
Implied Powers
powers that are not listed in the constitution but are still acted upon in order to fulfill the listed powers
Commerce Clause
Gives Congress the power to manage trade relationships between national and international governments
Commerce
the production, buying, selling, renting and
transporting of goods
Congress’s Power to Tax and Spend
allows Congress the ability to
make laws in policy areas that the national government doesn’t have the explicit power to do (education, agriculture, etc.)
Federal Mandates
a requirement states must meet in order to
get federal funds
Supremacy Clause
Dictates that if the state laws and federal laws conflict, it is required to follow the federal law
War Power
Any power that the national government has in reference to war
Reserved Powers
Dictates all remaining government powers to the states as long as they were not given to the federal government or denied to the states by the Constitution; stated in the 10th Amendment
Concurrent Powers
powers possessed by both the national and state governments
What are things that the states are not allowed to do?
- Make treaties with foreign countries
- Coin money
- Tax imports or exports
- Engage in war
Full Faith and Credit Clause
dictates that each state must respect the validity of other public acts and records
Privilege and Immunities Clause
dictates that each state must grant the citizens of every other state the same rights as their own citizens
Interstate Compacts
an agreement among two or more states; requires approval from congress
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Established that the state governments could not tax the federal government
Centralist View
favors using the national government to solve policy issues
Decentralist View
favors leaving policy issues to the state government as opposed to the central government
Devolution
the returning of responsibility and power downward; from the federal to the state governments; from the state government to the local governments
What are the purposes of National Grants?
- To provide the state and local governments with revenue
- Establish a national standard; highways and clean air
- Equalize resources among the states
- Attack national problems but minimize the growth of national agencies
Categorical Grant
a grant given for specific purposes/ organization
Block Grant
grants given for more general purposes
Formula Grants
grants which are distributes based on some type of formula
Project Grants
grants given for specific activities; scientific research or homeland security
Unfunded mandate
requirements given to the states and local governments from the federal government without financial assistance
Extradition
Requires that if a person commits a crime in one state, it is necessary to transport them back to the state where the crime was committed
U.S. v. Lopez
This case established limits on Congress’s Commerce Clause
What are the advantages of federalism?
- Prevent tyranny
- Unity without uniformity
- Encourages experimentation within the states
- Trains future national leaders
What are the disadvantages of federalism?
- Difficulty holding leaders accountable
- The lack of uniformity often leads to conflict
- Difficulty responding to national crises
