All flashcards
Flashcard 1: Which clause is the basis for implied powers of Congress?
Answer: The Necessary and Proper Clause. Allows Congress to pass laws beyond those explicitly enumerated.
Flashcard 2: Define block grants.
Answer: Federal funds provided to states for broad purposes. Give states flexibility in how they spend federal money.
Flashcard 3: Identify an example of a reserved power for states.
Answer: Regulating education. Reserved powers belong exclusively to states under the Tenth Amendment.
Flashcard 4: Define 'marble cake federalism.'
Answer: A blending of state and national government functions and policies. Represents cooperative federalism with intertwined governmental functions.
Flashcard 5: What is meant by 'layer cake federalism'?
Answer: A clear division of responsibilities between state and national governments. Represents dual federalism with distinct, separate governmental layers.
Flashcard 6: What impact did the New Deal have on federalism?
Answer: It increased federal involvement in state matters. Expanded federal power through economic programs and regulations.
Flashcard 7: How is the Elastic Clause related to federalism?
Answer: It expands Congressional powers, affecting state authority. Allows federal expansion that may override state authority.
Flashcard 8: What does the Extradition Clause require of states?
Answer: To return criminals to the state where they committed the crime. Prevents states from harboring fugitives from other jurisdictions.
Flashcard 9: Identify a shared power in federalism.
Answer: Taxation. Both levels can collect taxes from citizens and businesses.
Flashcard 10: What does the term 'unfunded mandate' imply for states?
Answer: States must comply without federal financial assistance. Places financial strain on state budgets without compensation.
Flashcard 11: What is the significance of the case South Dakota v. Dole?
Answer: It upheld the use of federal funds to influence state policies. Validated conditional federal funding as constitutional coercive tool.
Flashcard 12: How does the federal government influence state policy through grants?
Answer: By attaching conditions to the receipt of federal funds. Creates incentives for states to adopt preferred federal policies.
Flashcard 13: What principle allows states to govern within their own borders?
Answer: State sovereignty. States retain authority over local matters within constitutional limits.
Flashcard 14: Which case reinforced the federal government's ability to regulate commerce?
Answer: Gibbons v. Ogden. Confirmed federal authority over interstate commerce against state monopolies.
Flashcard 15: What is the primary function of the Commerce Clause?
Answer: To regulate trade among the states and with foreign nations. Ensures uniform trade rules and prevents state protectionism.
Flashcard 16: Identify a power exclusively held by the federal government.
Answer: Coining money. Only federal government can create currency and regulate its value.
Flashcard 17: What is the concept of fiscal federalism?
Answer: The use of financial tools by the federal government to influence states. Federal government uses grants and funding to shape state policies.
Flashcard 18: Define the term 'federal mandate.'
Answer: A requirement imposed by the federal government on states. Creates binding obligations for states to follow federal directives.
Flashcard 19: What is the significance of McCulloch v. Maryland?
Answer: It affirmed the supremacy of federal over state laws. Established federal supremacy and legitimacy of implied powers.
Flashcard 20: Identify a key feature of new federalism.
Answer: Greater state control in administering federal programs. Reagan-era policy emphasizing state autonomy and reduced federal oversight.
Flashcard 21: What is the main purpose of the Tenth Amendment?
Answer: To reserve powers not delegated to the federal government to the states. Protects state sovereignty by limiting federal government's authority.
Flashcard 22: How does the Equal Protection Clause limit state powers?
Answer: It prohibits states from denying equal protection under the law. Prevents discriminatory state laws and ensures constitutional rights.
Flashcard 23: Which amendment granted citizenship and equal protection, affecting states?
Answer: The Fourteenth Amendment. Prohibited states from denying citizenship and equal protection rights.
Flashcard 24: Define categorical grants.
Answer: Federal funds provided for specific purposes with conditions. Have strict requirements and limited state discretion in spending.
Flashcard 25: What role does the Supreme Court play in federalism?
Answer: It interprets the Constitution to resolve state-federal conflicts. Acts as the final arbiter in disputes between state and federal authority.
Flashcard 26: Which amendment abolished slavery, impacting state powers?
Answer: The Thirteenth Amendment. Applied the amendment nationwide, overriding state laws permitting slavery.
Flashcard 27: What is the purpose of the Privileges and Immunities Clause?
Answer: To prevent states from discriminating against non-residents. Ensures citizens receive equal treatment regardless of which state they visit.
Flashcard 28: Identify a power denied to both state and national governments.
Answer: Granting titles of nobility. The Constitution prohibits both levels from creating aristocratic titles.
Flashcard 29: How does the Commerce Clause affect state powers?
Answer: It limits states' abilities to regulate interstate commerce. Grants Congress broad power to regulate trade between states.
Flashcard 30: What is preemption?
Answer: When federal law overrides or takes precedence over state law. Based on the Supremacy Clause when federal and state laws conflict.