Kaarten: Ch 7 - Political institutions - state and local government | Quizlet

delegated powers

These are powers that the Constitution delegated from the states to the federal government, for instance the power to coin money, to conduct foreign policy, to keep military services, to make war, and to set customs duties.

propositions

Propositions are direct votes of the public on an issue (referenda). These can be initiated by regular voters. Other times, a change in the constitution may be voted over or the state legislature puts an issue up for public vote.

concurrent powers

These refer to powers shared by the state and federal governments because the Constitution has not specified who is in charge of the issue. Both state and federal governments can, for instance, collect taxes.

elastic clause

This is a clause in the Constitution which gives Congress the right to make any laws that are "necessary and proper" to carry out its other powers. The federal government has grown partly because this clause has given presidents certain powers to expand federal programs.

ordinances

Laws enacted by local governments (e.g. city councils, county councils).

state constitutions

Each state has its own constitution regulating powers and responsibilities. These state constitutions are often longer and more detailed than the federal constitution. As a result, they are more often amended.

local governments

The structure and names of local governments vary from state to state, since states - not the federal government - are in charge of delegating powers to local governments. They include special districts, counties, towns, cities, boroughs, and school districts. Typically, these governments collect local property taxes and provide local transportation systems, schools, fire and police protection, water and sanitation systems and medical programs and buildings.

full faith and credit

This refers to the Constitution's promise to treat new states on an equal footing (having 'full faith and credit') with the original thirteen states.

devolution

This refers to a process of returning powers to the states in order to establish a more decentralized structure. In the 1990s, president Bill Clinton, a Democrat, worked with a Republican congress and gave states more power over issues such as social welfare programs.

unfunded mandates

These are responsibilities given by the federal government to the states without supplying sufficient funding. The new federalism of the 1970s was in part a reaction against such mandates.

dual federalism

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remain supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies.

cooperative federalism

A system of government in which powers and policy assignments are shared between states and the national government. They may also share costs, administration, and even blame for programs that work poorly.

special districts

government units created to perform particular functions, especially when those functions are best performed across jurisdictional boundaries

New Federalism

A policy shift beginning in the 1970s championed by Richard Nixon that turned over powers and responsibilities of some US federal programs to state and local governments and reduced the role of national government in domestic affairs.

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