Federalism, State & Local Gov't Test

amendatory veto

a veto that allows a governor to send a bill back to the legislature with a message requesting a specific amendment

charter

a document that provides a framework and detailed account of local government responsibilities and areas of authority

commission system

an elected commission that serves as the governing body within a given county

consecutive term limits

caps allowing a member of the legislature to serve for only a specified period of time in either the state house or senate and forcing a wait before the member can run again

council-administrator system

an elected council that appoints an administrator to oversee the operation of the county government

council-elected executive system

a county government in which voters elect both the members of the council and the executive

council-manager system

a structure of government in which elected members of the city council appoint a city manager to carry out administrative functions

delegate legislator

a legislator who represents the will of those who elected the legislator to office and acts in their expressed interest, even when it goes against a personal belief about what is ultimately in the constituency’s best interest

Dillon’s Rule

a legal principle that holds state power and actions above those of local governments and declares state governments to be sovereign relative to local governments

expressed powers

those powers specifically provided to the Congress and the president in the U.S. Constitution

formal powers

those powers a governor may exercise that are specifically outlined in the state constitution or state law

home rule

principle that provides local governments some degree of independence from the state government, typically detailed in a charter

implied powers

those powers not specifically detailed in the U.S. Constitution but inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government

individualistic political culture

a culture that views the government as a mechanism for addressing issues that matter to individual citizens and for pursuing individual goals

lifetime ban

a rule that members can serve only one time in the state legislature for the number of years allotted and may not run again

line-item veto

a state governor’s ability to strike out a line or individual portions of a bill while letting the remainder pass into law

mayor-council system

a structure of government in which both city council members and the mayor are elected by voters

moralistic political culture

a culture that views the government as a means to better society and promote the general welfare

pardon

a governor’s action to absolve someone of blame for a crime and secure their release from prison

reduction veto

a governor’s authority to reduce the amount budgeted in a piece of legislation

term limits

rules that restrict the length of time a member can serve in the state legislature

traditionalistic political culture

a culture that views the government as necessary to maintaining the existing social order or the status quo

trustee

an officeholder who believes they were elected to exercise judgment and to know best by virtue of having the time and expertise to study and understand an issue

bill of attainder

a legislative action declaring someone guilty without a trial; prohibited under the Constitution

block grant

a type of grant that comes with less stringent federal administrative conditions and provide recipients more latitude over how to spend grant funds

categorical grant

a federal transfer formulated to limit recipients’ discretion in the use of funds and subject them to strict administrative criteria

concurrent powers

shared state and federal powers that range from taxing, borrowing, and making and enforcing laws to establishing court systems

cooperative federalism

a style of federalism in which both levels of government coordinate their actions to solve national problems, leading to the blending of layers as in a marble cake

creeping categorization

a process in which the national government attaches new administrative requirements to block grants or supplants them with new categorical grants

devolution

a process in which powers from the central government in a unitary system are delegated to subnational units

dual federalism

a style of federalism in which the states and national government exercise exclusive authority in distinctly delineated spheres of jurisdiction, creating a layer-cake view of federalism

elastic clause

the last clause of Article I, Section 8, which enables the national government “to make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying” out all its constitutional responsibilities

ex post facto law

a law that criminalizes an act retroactively; prohibited under the Constitution

federalism

an institutional arrangement that creates two relatively autonomous levels of government, each possessing the capacity to act directly on the people with authority granted by the national constitution

full faith and credit clause

found in Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution, this clause requires states to accept court decisions, public acts, and contracts of other states

general revenue sharing

a type of federal grant that places minimal restrictions on how state and local governments spend the money

immigration federalism

the gradual movement of states into the immigration policy domain traditionally handled by the federal government

new federalism

a style of federalism premised on the idea that the decentralization of policies enhances administrative efficiency, reduces overall public spending, and improves outcomes

nullification

a doctrine promoted by John Calhoun of South Carolina in the 1830s, asserting that if a state deems a federal law unconstitutional, it can nullify it within its borders

privileges and immunities clause

found in Article IV, Section 2, of the Constitution, this clause prohibits states from discriminating against out-of-staters by denying such guarantees as access to courts, legal protection, and property and travel rights; also referred to as the comity provision

race-to-the-bottom

a dynamic in which states compete to attract business by lowering taxes and regulations, often to workers’ detriment

unfunded mandates

federal laws and regulations that impose obligations on state and local governments without fully compensating them for the costs of implementation

unitary system

a centralized system of government in which the subnational government is dependent on the central government, where substantial authority is concentrated

venue shopping

a strategy in which interest groups select the level and branch of government they calculate will be most receptive to their policy goals

writ of habeas corpus

a petition that enables someone in custody to petition a judge to determine whether that person’s detention is legal