Week 4 Gov Vocab

block grants

block grants

federal grants-in-aid that permit state and local officials to decide how the money will be spent within a general area, such as education or health.

categorical grants

federal grants-in-aid to states and localities that can be used only for designated projects.

commerce clause

the authority granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution “to regulate commerce” among the states.

confederacy

a governmental system in which sovereignty is vested entirely in subnational (state) governments

cooperative federalism

the situation in which the national, state, and local levels work together to solve problems

devolution

the passing down of authority from the national government to state and local governments

dual federalism

a doctrine based on the idea that a precise separation of national power and state power is both possible and desirable.

enumerated (expressed) powers

the 17 powers granted to the national government under Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution. These powers include taxation and the regulation of commerce as well as the authority to provide for the national defense.

federalism

a governmental system in which authority is divided between two sovereign levels of government: national and regional.

fiscal federalism

a term that refers to the expenditure of federal funds on programs run in part through states and localities.

Grant-in-aid

federal cash payments to states and localities for programs they administer.

implied powers

the federal government’s constitutional authority (through the “necessary and proper” clause) to take action that is not expressly authorized by the Constitution but that supports actions that are so authorized.

Nationalization

the process by which authority in the American federal system has shifted gradually from the states to the national government.

“necessary and proper” clause

the authority granted to Congress in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution “to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” for the implementation of its enumerated powers.

reserved powers

the powers granted to the states under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution.

Sovereignty

the supreme (or ultimate) authority to govern within a certain geographic area.

Supremacy clause

Article VI of the Constitution, which makes national law supreme over state law when the national government is acting within its constitutional limits.

unitary system

a governmental system in which the national government alone has sovereign (ultimate) authority.