Political Science Exam 1

State police powers - policy powers

Broad power to make laws for the general welfare of their communities to promote. health, safety, welfare, and morals.

Public order and safety

police, firefighters, jails, prisons, and corrections, and criminal law

social

public schools, higher education, public health, welfare, medicaid, food stamps, insurance trusts, and regulation of state insureres

economic

transportation, infrastructure, utilities, land use, property sales, licensing , regulation, contracts and civil law

demography

studies populations and their characteristics - age, race, gender

public policy is created

by the people and or their elected representatives and for the people of the community being governed

what is the proper role of the government?

to maintain order, provide public goods, and promote equality

totalitarianiam

unlimited government power - society often commandeered by the state for this control to work

anarchism

no government and no government power

socialism

through government, society itself owns and controls provision of basic goods and services

capitalism

individuals own and control provision of basic goods and what is done with them - delivers efficiency for those who can participate in the market

social freedom

values individual liberties even at expense of having an orderly society

social order

prioritizes public safety and decency above individual freedom and expression

conservative

highly value social order and economic efficiency

Liberal

highly value social freedom and economic equality

libertarian

highly value social freedom and economic efficiency - stress individual autonomy and minimalist role for government

populist

value government intervention in economy to benefit average citizens against wealthy and powerful

hybrid political cultures

aspects of more than one culture apparent in their political attitude, beliefs and styles.

unitary system

national government creates sub-national government and gives them power. sub-national governments have no independent activity but are mere administrative units

Confederation

central government has only those powers given to it by sub-units

federal system

power constitutionally divided between central government and subnational governments

federal systems are most common found in

larger countries that are diverse and with longstanding historical divisions

cases for Federalism

protects against tyranny, decentralizes political power, more opportunities for political participation, greater efficiency

cases against federalism

potential conflict with national interest, creates complexity and confusion, reduce government accountability

federalism in the US Constitution

does not mention federalism but defines legal powers of government and limits on those powers

enumerated powers

17 explicit grants of congressional authority including tax and spend, regulate commerce, war, treaties, coinage, post office.

implied powers

stemming from necessary and powers clause

supremacy clause

this constitution and the laws of the US are basically the supremacy clause. federal law prevails and federal law preempts state law

denied powers

states denied the powers of treaties and alliances, war, taxing imports or exports, coining money, and cannot enter into compacts without consent of congress

10th Amendment reserved powers

the powers not delegated to the US by the Const., nor prohibited by the states are reserved to the states

states have the police power

this is the power to make laws for the general welfare of their communities for health, safety, welfare, morals

states obligations to each other

access to public records and judicial proceedings, extradition, privilege and immunities

McCulloch v. Maryland

created the doctrine of implied powers and limited states ability to impede federal government

gibbons v. ogden

held that power to regulate commerce includes power to regulate navigation and states cannot interfere with congressional commerce power even if congress itself is not regulating it

general welfare clause

congress has the power to tax and spend for the general welfare of the US

land-grants

morrill land-grants acts

16th amendments

progressive income tax of corporations and individuals, fundamental shift in federal revenue

categorical grants

money tied to specific narrow projects with more federal oversight and control

general revenue-sharing grants

short-lived policy giving states federal money with essentially no strings attached

block grants

money given for a broad function such as public health or community development. states and communities have more discretion in choosing the projects getting the funds

federal government cannot coerce

but states are heavily reliant on federal aid

dual federalism

1789-1933 - clear division between national and state function

cooperative federalism

1933-1964 - governments mix resources to solve common problems and advances shared interest

centralized federalism

1964-1980 — fiction of cooperation and federal government assistance breaks down

new federalism

1980-2002 - devolution revolution transfers back some policy responsibility to states

ad hoc federalism

2002 - partisan convenience

similarities and differences for the constitution

state-level separation of powers, systems of checks and balances, similar hierarchy of governments, have bill of rights

direct democracy

progressive reformers wanted citizens themselves to be able to make laws, can initiate and ratify

traditional distinction

constitutions supposed to be higher law, they govern governments and set rules and procedures for decision making

texas constitution of 1876

long and poorly organized, many details of public policy and government organization

texas and US constitutions

3 branches, separation of powers among branches/departments, limited government

formal constitutional change

amending or replacing a constitution is a 2 step - proposal and ratification - require supermajority

legislative proposal/legislative referral

state legislature both drafts and passes amendment, often with supermajority requirement

popular initiative

a type of direct democracy, citizens offer proposal to an overnight body and language is cleared to circulate (18 states)

constitutional convention

legislature proposes calling a convention to voters via referendum, delegates are elected

constitutional commission

legislative creates appointed commission to study and recommend changes

texas constitutional amendments

proposed by 2/3 vote of both houses of TX Legislature, ratified by simple majority of voters

how does the government fund itself ?

taxes, grants, fees and licenses, interest on investments, direct sales, borrowing, gambling and or lottery

tax rate

base rate at which something is taxed

effective tax rate

after deductions, exemptions, etc.

exemption

not taxed

deduction

subtracted from total amount taxed

credit

applied against amount you have to pay

tax base

what is being taxed

tax burden

percentage of income paid in taxes, statement about distribution of the costs of taxation throughout society

progressive

higher income groups pay a larger share - federal and some state income taxes

regressive

lower. income groups pay a larger share - sales and excise taxes

proportional

all income groups pay some percentage - tithe or other flat tax

Income tax

used by the federal government and 43 states. tax base personal or corporate income subject to taxation, tax rate is usually progressive and tax burden is widely accepted as progressive based on AGI

sales tax

used in 45 states and DC, tax base sale subject to taxation, tax rate is fixed and tax burden is regressive

excise tax

tax base is sales of particular items, tax rate is fixed and tax burden is regressive

property tax

tax base is property subject to taxation, tax rate traditionally fixed by the mill rate and tax burden is regressive

state tax structures

tax structure refers to overall structure of taxation in a state as a whole

taxation in texas

low state taxes, no state income tax, no state corporate tax but does have a gross receipts tax and high local taxes

the budget

most important policy statement of any government, spending of public funds authorized by law via appropriation bill

budget terms

revenue: income received by government, expenditures are goods and services purchased and provided with governments funds

expenditures

earmarked funds, general funds, uncontrollables

playing the budget game

agencies request more funds than previous, often give budgeters something to cut