Chapter 3 - Federalism

Covers Chapter 3 of American Government 16th Edition by James Wilson, John DeIulio, Meena Bose, and Matthew Levendusky.

What is federalism?

It is government authority shared by national and local governments.

What is sovereignty?

The ultimate political author in a system.

What is a unitary system?

A system of government where sovereignty is only in the national govenrment, not the states.

What is a confederal system?

A system of government where thestate governments are sovereign and the national government follows the states.

What is a federal system?

A system of government where the national and state governments share sovereignty.

How does Federalism and federal-state relations affect our lives?

They control certain taxes, how fast we can drive, whether or where we can buy liquor, basically everything we do.

Why did the founding fathers not choose a system where power was clearly in one government’s hands?

It is because they feared that it would become tyrannical or concentrate power.

What type of system was the Articles of Confederation?

A confederal system

What is the 10th Amendment?

It states that any powers not given to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people.

What was Alexander Hamilton’s view on Federalism?

He believed the national government was the superior and leading force in political affairs.

What was Jefferson’s view on Federalism?

He believed the federal government was agreed by states and thus, should be limitedand narrowly construed.

What is the “necessary and proper” clause?

It is a section of the Constitution that allows congress to pass all laws that are necessary and proper to its duties, even if not stated in the Constitution.

What is nullification?

The idea that a state can declare null and void a federal law that, in their mind, violates the Constitution (think of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions).

What is dual federalism?

The idea that both the national and state governments are supreme in their spheres and that each should be kept separate.

Note: This is how the idea of intrastate and interstate commerce became a thing.

What is cooperative federalism?

The idea that the federal and state governments share power in many policy areas.

What is intrastate commerce?

Commerce controlled by the states, untouched by the federal government.

What is interstate commerce?

Commerce controlled by the federal goverment, untouched by the state’s government.

List some of the powers of the Federal Government…

Declare wars, maintain and deploy military, print money, making foreign policy, regulate interstate commerce, maintain government programs (post office).

List some of the powers of the State Government…

Conduct elections for public offices, establish local governments, regulate intrastate commerce, license, enact laws to promite public safety.

List some of the powers that both the Federal and State Government share…

Can tax citizens and businesses, charter banks & corporations, build and maintain roads.

What is McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)?

It demonstrated the “necessary and proper” clause of the Constitution, which allowed the Supreme Court to have the final say in a case and create a National Bank (something that wasn’t in the Constitution).

What was Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)?

The Supreme Court ruled that the national government was allowed to regulate interstate commerce.

What was Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railroad v. Illinois (1886)?

The Supreme Court ruled that the states could not regulate interstate commerce.

What was United States v. Lopez (1995)?

The Supreme Court ruled that the national government could not regulate matters not directly related to interstate commerce (in this case, banning firearms in a school zone).

What was Printz v. United States (1997)?

The national government has limited authority to require state officials to enforce federal regulations.

What was Alden v. Maine (1999)?

Congress cannot force states to face lawsuits in state courts without the state's consent.

What was Reno v. Condon (2000)?

The national government can regulate how states collect, share, or sell certain information about citizens

What was United States v. Morrison (2000)?

The Court ruled that Congress does not have the authority under the Commerce Clause/14th Amendment to enact the Violence Against Women Act, as it overstepped federal powers.

What was Federal Maritime Commission v. South Carolina Ports Authority (2002)?

The Court decided that states have sovereign immunity from private lawsuits.

What was Kelo v. City of New London (2005)?

The Court ruled that the government can use eminent domain (pay land owners) to seize private property for public use.

What was National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012)?

The Court upheld the Affordable Care Act but limited the government’s ability to penalize states that refused to expand Medicaid.

What was Arizona v. United States (2012)?

It ruled that immigration regulation is primarily a federal power

What was King v. Burwell (2015)?

The Court upheld tax cuts for health insurance purchased on state-run and federal exchanges.

What was Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)?

The Court ruled that same-sex couples have the constitutional right to marry.

What is the most obvious effect of Federalism?

It makes it so people are more involved in politics.

What is the definition of laboratories of democracy?

It is the idea that different states can implement different policies and the successful ones will spread.

What is a negative to the idea of laboratories of democracy?

It can cause people to be treated differently based on what state they live in.

Example: Women in the Wyoming Territory were allowed to vote much earlier than other women could.

What is initiative?

A process by the states that permits voters to put a legislative act directly on the ballot usually through petitions.

What is referendum?

A procedure in the states that enables voters to reject a piece of legistlation passed by the legislature.

What is recall?

A procedure in the states where voters can remove an elected official from office.

Why did the grants-in-aid system grow quickly throughout the United States?

It is because it helped to quickly revolve dilemmas.

What is the idea of grants-in-aid?

It is money given by the national government to the states.

What happened in the 1960s that changed the way federal grants were given out to states?

Before this, grants were given based on states needs; however, after the 1960s, grants were only given out based on what the federal government perceived to be important.

What is the intergovernmental lobby?

A lobby filled with people that had come to depend on federal funds (like local police chiefs, county highway commissioners, superintendents of schools).

What is the purpose of the intergovernmental lobby?

To obtain more federal money with fewer strings attached.

What are categorical grants?

Federal grants for specific purposes, such as building an airport.

What is conditions of aid?

Terms set by the national government requiring states to meet if they want the ability to get federal funds.

What are mandates?

Terms set by the national government that states MUST meet whether or not they accept federal grants.

What is a devolution?

The transfer of power from the national government to state and local governments.

What was a popular devolution?

The one by Ronald Reagan in the 1980s to early 1990s to cut down on federal spending, specifically on the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC).