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22 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Devolution
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a. The effort to transfer responsibility for many public programs and services from the federal government to the states.
i. The Republican goal to make the national government smaller. |
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Block Grants
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a. Money from the national government that states can spend within broad guidelines determined by Washington.
i. Republicans used this method to accelerate the devolution of national power. |
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Federalism
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a. Government authority shared by national and state governments.
i. Decentralizes power and gives more people voices. |
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Federal System
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a. A system in which sovereignty is shared, so that in some matters the national government is supreme and in other matters the states are supreme.
i. The United States system. |
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Unitary System
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a. A system in which sovereignty is wholly in the hands of the national government, so that the states and localities are dependent on its will.
i. Too much like authoritative government. |
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Confederation
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a. A system in which the states are sovereign and the national government is allowed to do only that which the states permit.
i. What the 13 original colonies were before the Constitution. |
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Sovereignty
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a. Supreme or ultimate political authority. A sovereign government is one that is legally and politically independent of any other government.
i. What the United States fought for in the revolutionary war. |
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Tenth Amednment
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a. 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. Reserved powers.
i. A major argument for the states in arguments with the national government. Many states’ rights supporters use this argument. |
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"Necessary and Proper" clause
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a. Section of the constitution allowing Congress to pass all laws “necessary and proper” to its duties, and which has permitted Congress to exercise powers not specifically given to it (enumerated) by the Constitution.
i. Gives the congress powers to protect the nation. This clause can be interpreted as necessary or dangerous. |
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Nullification
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a. The doctrine that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in the state’s opinion, violates the Constitution.
i. Led to the civil war when the doctrine was voided. |
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Dual Federalsim
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a. Doctrine holding that the national government is supreme in its sphere, the states are supreme in theirs, and the two spheres should be kept separate.
i. Doesn’t work. The national government holds more power than the states. |
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Police Power
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a. State power to enact laws promoting health, safety, and morals.
i. These lead to some of the most controversial divides when states choose to allow something radically conservative or liberal. |
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Initiative
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a. Process that permits voters to put legislative measures directly on the ballot.
i. Gives the United States a path to direct democracy. |
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Referendum
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a. Procedure enabling voters to reject a measure passed by the legislature.
i. Allows controversial issues like tax increases to be turned down. |
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Recall
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a. Procedure whereby voters can remove an elected official from office.
i. A check and balance by the public. |
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Grants-in-aid
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a. Money given by the national government to the states.
i. Washington would pay the bills; the states would run the programs. |
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Intergovernmental lobby
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a. A lobby made up of state and local officials, both elected and appointed.
i. The goal is to get more federal money |
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Categorical grants
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a. Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport.
i. Used to control the states. Not effective because only went to big projects instead of small local necessities. |
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Revenue sharing
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a. Federal sharing of a fixed percentage of its revenues with the states.
i. Didn’t create competition or motivation because each organization received a small amount of money. |
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Conditions of aid
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a. Terms set by the national government that states must meet if they are to receive certain federal funds.
i. The national government feels that it has an obligation to develop uniform national policies that keep the states from misspending federal money. The states feel that these rules don’t take into account diverse local conditions therefore creating serious inefficiencies. |
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Mandates
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a. Terms set by the national government that states must meet whether or not they accept federal grants.
i. Most like anti-discrimination and environmental mandates are good, but others give federal agencies too much power. |
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Entitlements
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a. A claim for government funds that cannot be changed without violating the rights of the claimant.
i. Transfers money to individuals and families who need it. |
