Pols 1101 Ch. 2

Front 1

federalism

Back 1

a constitutional arrangement in which power is distributed between a central government and subdivisional governments, called states in the United States. The national and the subdivisional governments both exercise direct authority over individuals.

Front 2

confederation

Back 2

a constitutional arrangement in which sovereign nations or states, by compact, create a central government but carefully limit its power and do not give it direct authority over individuals.

Front 3

delegated powers

Back 3

powers given explicitly to the national government and listed in the Constitution.

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implied powers

Back 4

Powers inferred from the express powers that allow Congress to carry out its functions

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necessary and proper clause

Back 5

the clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) setting forth the implied powers of Congress. It states that Congress, in addition to its express powers, has the right to make all laws necessary and proper to carry out all powers the Constitution vests in the national government.

Front 6

express powers

Back 6

Powers that the Constitution specifically grants to one of the branches of the national government.

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inherent powers

Back 7

the powers of the national government in foreign affairs that the Supreme Court has declared do not depend on constitutional grants but rather grow out of the very existence of the national government.

Front 8

commerce clause

Back 8

the clause in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 1) that gives Congress the power to regulate all business activities that cross state lines or affect more than one state or other nations

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federal mandate

Back 9

a requirement the federal government imposes as a condition for receiving federal funds

Front 10

reserve powers

Back 10

all powers not specifically delegated to the national government by the Constitution. The reserve power can be found in the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution.

Front 11

concurrent powers

Back 11

powers that the Constitution gives to both the national and state governments, such as the power to levy taxes.

Front 12

full faith and credit clause

Back 12

The clause in the Constitution (Article IV, Section 1) requiring each state to recognize the civil judgments rendered by the courts of the other states and to accept their public records and acts as valid.

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extradition

Back 13

the legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed.

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interstate compact

Back 14

an agreement among two or more states. Congress must approve such agreements.

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national supremacy

Back 15

a constitutional doctrine that whenever conflict occurs between the constitutionally authorized actions of the national government and those of a state or local government, the actions of the federal government prevail.

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preemption

Back 16

the right of a federal law or regulation to preclude enforcement of a state or local law or regulation

Front 17

centralists

Back 17

people who favor national action over action at the state or local levels

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decentralists

Back 18

people who favor state or local action rather than national action

Front 19

states' rights

Back 19

powers expressly or implicitly reserved to the states.