key terms

block grants

federal grants that provide money to states for general program funding with few or no strings attached

categorical grants

the most common type of federal grant given for specific purposes usually with strict rules attached

coercive federalism

a system in which the national government forces the states to follow its lead by passing public policy legislation or passing block grant spending programs requiring their participation

concurrent powers

powers shared by both national and state levels o government

conditions of aid

national requirement that must be observed to receive benefits

cooperative federalism

a cooperative system in which solutions for various state and local problems are directed and sometimes funded by both the national and state governments. the administration of programs is characterized by shared power and shared responsibility

creative federalism

an initiative that expanded the concept of the partnership between the national government and the states under president Lyndon Johnson in the 1960s.

delegated powers

powers expressly granted or enumerated in the constitution and limited in nature

devolution revolution

a trend initiated in the Reagan administration and accelerated by then Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich to spend programs and power back to the states with less national government involvement

dual federalism

a system in which each level of power remains supreme in its own jurisdiction this keeping the states separate and distinct from the national government

federalism

the relationship between the centralized national government and the individual state governments

federal mandate

a coercive form of federalism with the national government seeking yo change state policies by requiring them to enact certain types of legislation or policy spending in order to get federal funds

fulcrum of power (triad of powers)

the 5 constitutional provisions that dictate the balance of power between the national and state governments in the federal structure. They include the interstate commerce clause, the necessary and proper clause, the supremacy clause, and the 10th amendment

grant-in-aid

money paid to states and localities to induce them to implement policies in accordance with federally mandated guidelines

implied powers

powers not specifically stated in the constitution but inferred from the express powers

inherent powers

powers that do not appear in the Constitution but are assumed because of the nature of government . Also refers to a theory that the Constitution grants authority to executive, through the injunction in Article 2, section 1: “the executive power shall be vested in a president of the united states of america

nullification

a 19th century theory that upholds that states faced with unacceptable national legislation can declare such laws null and void and refuse to observe them

police powers

the powers to regulate health, morals, public safety, and welfare, which are reserved to the states

preemption

the process by which the federal government exercising its delegated power, together with the Supremacy Clause signals to the states that it will be the only legislative body to govern in a policy area, such as the interstate commerce power as a means of creating uniform policy. Until then, states are free to regulate commercial enterprise within their jurisdiction, which may lead to variation in policy

reserved powers

powers not assigned by the constitution to the national government but left to the states or to the people, according to the 10th amendment

states’ powers

governmental powers referred to by some as states’ rights, that the US Constitution neither grants to the national government nor forbids to the states