Chap 3: Federalism Flashcards
Federalism
system of government where power is divided between a central gov’t and regional gov’t
unitary system
a centralized government system in which lower levels of government have little power independent of the national government
intergovernmental relations
the processes by which the three levels of American government (national, state, local) negotiate and compromise over policy responsibility
police power (coercion)
power reserved to the state government to regulate the health, safety, and morals of its citizens
the power to develop and enforce criminal codes, administer health and safety rules, and regulate the family through marriage and divorce laws
full faith and credit clause
Article IV Section 1
each state is normally expected to honor the “Public Acts, Records, and Judicial Proceedings” of the other states
comity clause
Article IV section 2
a state cannot discriminate against someone from another state or give its own residents special privileges
home rule
power delegated by the state to a local unit of government to manage its own affairs
dual federalism
the system of government that prevailed in the United States from 1789 to 1937 in which most fundamental governmental powers were shared between the federal and state governments
national government was quite small and very narrowly specialized in the functions it performed
commerce clause
article 1 section 8
delegates to Congress the power “to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States and with the Indian tribes”; this clause was interpreted by the Supreme Court in favor of national power over the economy
grants-in-aid
programs through which Congress provides money to state and local governments on the condition that the funds be employed for purposes defined by the federal government
cooperative federalism
a type of federalism existing since the New Deal era in which grants-in-aid have been used strategically to encourage states and localities (without commanding them) to pursue nationally defined goals; also known as intergovernmental cooperation
*national policies, state policies, and local policies overlap in many areas
regulated federalism
a form of federalism in which Congress imposes legislation on states and localities, requiring them to meet national standards
preemption
the principle that allows the national government to override state or local actions in certain policy areas; in foreign policy, the willingness to strike first in order to prevent an enemy attack
nullification
devolution
a policy to remove a program from one level of government by delegating it or passing it down to a lower level of government, such as from the national government to the state and local governments
