Midterm 2 - Welch

Question 1

What is a unitary system?

Answer 1

The national government is supreme. States and counties have only as much power as they are granted by the national government. Ex. Britain

Question 2

What is a confederal system?

Answer 2

The central government has only the powers given to it by the states and counties. It cannot act directly on citizens and it can be dissolved by the states that created it. Ex. Iroquois League

Question 3

What is a federal system?

Answer 3

The national government is sovereign, but the states and counties do retain residual power.

Question 4

What is residual power?

Answer 4

The government is the most influential, with the states and counties exercising whatever power the national government does not explicitly claim

Question 5

What is nation-centered federalism?

Answer 5

Stresses the national government is sovereign. Relies on the supremacy clause

Question 6

What is the supremacy clause?

Answer 6

The treaties, the constitution, and “laws made in pursuance thereof” are to be the supreme law of the land

Question 7

What does the tenth amendment say?

Answer 7

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”

Question 8

What is dual federalism?

Answer 8

Sovereignty is divided among the national and state governments, so that each is essentially equal

Question 9

What is cooperative federalism?

Answer 9

The collaboration and competition of all levels of government both formal and informal

Question 10

What is fiscal federalism?

Answer 10

Allocation of government funds among the national, state , and local governments

Question 11

What are grants-in-aid?

Answer 11

Payments made by the national government to states and local governments to fund programs established through national legislation

Question 12

What are unfunded mandates?

Answer 12

National government requires state governments to implement certain policies without compensation for the associated expenses

Question 13

What is a ballot initiative?

Answer 13

Voters sign a petition to have a policy proposal placed onto ballot

Question 14

What are interest groups?

Answer 14

Organizations that try to achieve their goals with government assistance

Question 15

What is lobbying?

Answer 15

The effort of interest groups to influence government decisions

Question 16

What is political efficacy?

Answer 16

The belief that they can make a difference

Question 17

What is the free-rider problem?

Answer 17

Problem created when individuals benefit from actions of groups they are not a part of

Question 18

What is a constituency?

Answer 18

The district a member of congress represents

Question 19

What is reapportionment?

Answer 19

When the 435 House seats are allocated among the states based on the latest US census

Question 20

What is redistricting?

Answer 20

When states must redraw their district boundaries every ten years

Question 21

What is a gerrymander?

Answer 21

A district whose boundaries are devised to maximize the political advantage of a party or a racial group

Question 22

What are pork-barrel projects?

Answer 22

Special projects, buildings, and other public works in the district or state of a member of Congress that he or she supports because they provide jobs for constituents and enhance the member’s reelection chances

Question 23

What is a filibuster?

Answer 23

A continuous speech made by one or more members to prevent a piece of legislation from being brought the floor for a vote

Question 24

What is the cloture rule?

Answer 24

Allowed debate to be cut off by two-thirds of those present and voting

Question 25

What are authorizations?

Answer 25

Acts that enable agencies and departments to operate, either by creating them or by authorizing their continuance

Question 26

What are appropriations?

Answer 26

Acts that give federal agencies the authority to spend the money allocated to them

Question 27

What is senatorial courtesy?

Answer 27

When senators from a the president’s party expect to strongly influence judicial nominations to district and circuit courts

Question 28

What is executive privilege?

Answer 28

Allows presidents to refuse requests to publicly disclose the contents of internal documents and conversations with their aides and advisers

Question 29

What are signing statements?

Answer 29

When presidents sign a new bill into law, they may also set out their interpretation of the new law, indicating which provisions they find problematic

Question 30

What is the president’s recognition power?

Answer 30

The power of the president to receive or not receive the credentials of a foreign ambassador and thus fully recognize the nation that the ambassador represents

Question 31

What is imperial presidency?

Answer 31

A term that came into place in the late 60’s to describe the growing power of the president

Question 32

What is hierarchical?

Answer 32

Stipulating which workers have the power to issue commands, about what, to whom

Question 33

What are formal rules?

Answer 33

Written job descriptions and guidelines for good performance, for promotion, and for grievances are essential to bureaucracies

Question 34

What is the patronage system?

Answer 34

Allowed elected officials to fill administrative jobs on the basis of political loyalty, often referred to as the spoils system

Question 35

What is the Administrative Procedure Act?

Answer 35

Passed in 1946, requires public participation in the bureaucratic rule-making process

Question 36

What is the Freedom of Information Act?

Answer 36

Passed in 1966, allows any person to apply to an agency, through a formal procedure, for access to unclassified documents

Question 37

What is the Sunshine Act?

Answer 37

Passed in 1976, requires that meetings be conducted openly, with advance notice to the public, unless voted for otherwise