The U.S. Constitution Flashcards
What is the difference between a confederal and federal system of government?
Confederal - is when virtually all power rests within each individual state rather than a national government
Federal - is when power is shared between the national government and the states
What are the 3 branches of government, and what institution/body is each branch headed up by?
- The Legislature, headed up by Congress
- The Judiciary, headed up by The Supreme Court
- The Executive, headed up by the Executive Office of the President of the United States (The President)
What were the 3 ideals that the founding fathers wrote the constitution based upon?
- That each branch was independent, yet co-equal
- For each branch to be separate in terms of personnel
- To operate checks and balances on one another
Give 2 examples of checks by the Legislature on the Executive
Any 2:
- Amend/delay/reject the President’s legislation
- Override the President’s veto
- Control of the federal budget (power of the purse)
- Declare War
- Impeach executive branch officials
Give 2 examples of checks by the Legislature on the Judiciary
Any 2:
- Initiate constitutional amendments
- Impeach judicial branch officials
- Senate’s power to confirm supreme/federal court appointments
Give 2 examples of checks by the executive on the legislature
Any 2:
- Recommend Legislation
- Veto Legislation
- Call Congress to special session
Give 2 examples of checks by the executive on the judiciary
Any 2:
- Appointment of judges
- Presidential pardoning/exoneration of felons
Give 1 example of a check by the Judiciary on the legislature
- Judicial review - the power to declare acts of congress ‘unconstitutional’
Give 1 example of a check by the judiciary on the executive. And quote the very recent example of this happening.
- Judicial review - the power to declare actions of any member of the executive branch ‘unconstitutional’.
Example - Trump’s travel ban blocked by federal judge
What is decentralisation?
A principle by which political power is vested in both a national and state governments.
Nowhere are the words ‘federal’ or ‘federalism’ found in the constitution. How else are these ideas written into the Constitution? (Clue - quote names of articles/amendments)
- Articles I, II, and III lay out the powers of the federal government.
- The 10th amendment, says all remaining powers are ‘reserved to the states and the people’
Give 3 examples of powers exclusive to the federal government as laid out by the constitution.
- Coining money
- Negotiating treaties
- Taxing imports
- Maintaining troops in peacetime
According to ‘states rights’ what are the states guaranteed in Congress, in regard to representative democracy?
They are regarded equal representation in the Senate, 2 senators per state regardless of size or population.
Name 4 major events that have resulted in the development of federalism since 1787.
Any 4:
- Westward Expansion
- Growth in population
- Industrialisation
- Improvements in communication
- America’s foreign policy and position as a world power
How can we expect Donald Trump to affect the concept of federalism?
Trump has promised to give more powers back to the states (as expected of a Republican President). But he also plans to massively cut taxes, as well as initial cuts in public spending (but massive proposed increases in defence spending so far).
How does the theory of ‘limited government’ affect the states?
Limited government is the idea that more powers are devolved to the states in areas of domestic policy
Give 3 reasons as to why the federal government grew under George W. Bush when it was not expected to?
Any 3:
- The War in Iraq
- 9/11 attacks
- Expansion of Medicare
- No Child Left Behind Act
- Wall Street banking collapse package
Which 2 areas of policy are conducted exclusively by the federal government, regardless of the party in power?
War and Security against terrorism
How was the No Child Left Behind Act an example of federal government expansion?
Bush promised more funding and cash to the states, if they in turn provided rigorous documentation to show what the students were learning, in order to raise standards (the federal government taking some control on education back to improve performance)
How much, did overall government spending increase by, over Bush’s 2 terms? And what was the figure for Clinton’s administration?
Bush = 53% Clinton = 12.5%
Which group criticised Bush’s wall street banking collapse package and how was it passed through Congress due to rife Republican opposition?
Conservative Republicans criticised the package, so it was passed mostly by Democrat votes
By how much did government spending increase on defence over Bush’s 2 terms? And why?
By 125%, because of Bush’s ‘War on Terror’ as a result of Iraq, Afghanistan and mostly 9/11
What did Bush order his Secretary of the Treasury to do in relation to mortgage companies and the housing crash?
He ordered the Treasury to take over control of the two largest mortgage companies in the US (with a combined $6tn market share between them) called Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac because they were so badly affected in the housing market crisis, threatening to bring the whole market down further with them
State 3 facts/examples that Obama’s administration caused/did in regard to federalism
Any 3:
- The ratio of state government employees was the highest compared to federal government employees since the 1930s
- Between 2008 and 2009, federal government assistance the states increased from 3.7% of GDP to 4.9%
- Between 2008 and 2009, money from the federal government given to the states increased from 25% of state government spending to 30%
- Of Obama’s $787bn stimulus package, one third went TO or THROUGH state governments
