Fed. Unit Test

List 7 reasons for American federalism

1)Unitary system undesirable
2) Confederate system undesirable
3) Allows unity, but not uniformity
4) More suitable for geographically large nations
5) more suitable for heterogeneous people.
6) More likely to check tyranny
7)national govt can concentrate on national matters

In our structure of American federalism, what are state obligations to each other?

Explain: 1) full faith and credit clause = each state must honor the public acts and proceedings of other states.

2) Privileges and immunities clause: each state
must grant to citizens of other states the same rights
and privileges that they grant to their own citizens

3) Extradition: Governors must return suspects to the
states in which they allegedly committed their crimes.

4 keys to make federalism work?

1) separation of powers
2) check and balances
3) limited gov’t
4) Judicial review

4 ways to informally change the constitution informally?list

Acts of congress
Judicial rulings
Presidential actions
Customs and traditions

How is the constitution changed formally?both ways for proposal and ratification

Proposal: ⅔ vote from both houses of congress, constitutional convention called by congress at the request of ⅔ states

Ratification(congress picks which method is used): ¾ of state legislatures, ratifying conventions in ¾ states

Constitutional powers of state and national governments? Explain

State: reserved, concurrent
National: delegated (expressed and implied), concurrent
Prohibited powers are denied for both : ex. Neither can tax exports

Details ab McCulloch v. maryland?

In 1819 Bank of America operated in MD. Maryland didn't want BOA in their state bc of competition. MD taxed the bank to put it out of business. BOA employee James McCulloch refused to pay the state tax. Result: BOA is constitutional because it is an implied power of the national government . US needed national bank for borrowing, lending, etc(which are delegated powers) + chief justice backed this with supremacy clause and elastic clause+ national gov gets stronger

Details About gibbons v.ogden?

1824, steam-boat case
Ogden gets a state licensed monopoly to run ferry across the Hudson river. Gibbons saw potential of traffic between ny and nj and got a federal license. Odgen said he has the valid state licsese, even though gibbons has a us licence. Results: gib wins, idea what federal govt is tronger was backed and strengthed by this case , Expanded national power in all areas
of commerce law because nation overruled state in interstate trade
issues

3 types of grants-in-aid? Explain

Categorical Grants - target specific purposes and “strings
attached.”

--Block Grants – given for broad, general purposes and allow
more discretion on how the money is spent (ex. Welfare reform)

-- Project Grants - states apply for funds for specific projects

3 Pros and cons of federalism

Pros:

Built on compromise
promotes unity
Gov’t duties can be split up
Brings gov’t closer to people

Cons:

States can impede progress of Nation
States are unequal
States have different policy