Transcript AP government- Ch. 3 Federalism

Chapter 3
Definition- a system in which the nat’l gov’t
shares power with local gov’t.
 States have a specifically protected existence &
authority. (Constitution)
 The impact is widespread on roads, crimes, civil
liberties etc.
 Degree od federalism has changes over time

a. devolution

block grants
 Long term tension between nat’l and stae gov’t
include slavery, states rights, mandates,
regulation of business/ social welfare programs

 Definition-
A political system with local gov’t
units, plus national ones that can make final
decisions.
 Federal gov’ts- Canada. India, Germany
 Unitary gov’ts- France, Great Britain,Italy
Confusion over certain
responsibilities can have dire
consequences.
Ex: Hurricanes Karina and
Rita
They block progress
and protect powerful
local interests.
 Laski- they are
“poisonous and
parasitic”.
 Riker- It perpetuates
rasicm.

Negative Views

Elazar- It promotes
stength, flexibility
and liberty.
Positive views
 Federalism
makes good & bad effects;
 A. Various political groups with different
purposes come to power in different places
 B. Increased political activity
 C. Small political units dominated by single
political unit- Madison, Federalist #10
Section 2
A bold new plan to protect
personal liberties.
- Neither state of federal gov’t
would have total authority.
- - New plan had no historical
precedent
- - 10th Amendment added
later
 Article
I of the Constitution: Necessary and
Proper
 Called elastic language because it can be
interpreted several ways
 Hamilton’s
view- national gov’t has
supremacy because Constitution is supreme
law
 Jefferson’s view- state’s rights with people
as the ultimate sovereign
Section 3
 The
Supreme Court has supported the idea
that the federal government has supremacy
over the states.
 McCulloch
v. Maryland- The Constitution’s
“necessary and proper” permits Congress to
create a national bank when it has the power
to manage currency.
 The
 The
doctrine that
a state can
declare null and
void a federal law,
that in the state’s
opinion, violates
the Constitution.
? of
nullification was
settled by the Civil
War. The northern
victory determined
that the union is
indissoluble and
states cannot
declare acts of
Congress
unconstitutional.
 Doctrine
stating
that the nat’l
gov’t is supreme in
its sphere, the
states were
supreme in their
sphere and the
two spheres should
be kept separate.
 The
Supreme Court
has recognized &
strengthened the
power of states.
 A state can do
anything that is not
prohibited by the
Constitution & is
consistent with its
own constitution.
 Police
Power- Laws
& regulations of a
state that promote
safety, health and
morals.
Gibbons v. Ogden- The Constitution’s
commerce clause gives the nat’l gov’t
exclusive power to regulate interstate
commerce.
 Wabash v. St.Louis and Pacific Railroad v.
Illinois- The states may not regulate
interstate commerce.
 United States v. Lopez- The nat’l gov’ts
power under the commerce clause doesn’t
permit it to regulate matters not directly
related to interstate commerce.

Section IV
Began before the Constitution with “land grant
colleges”-gave cash grants to states
 Dramatically increased in scope in the 20th
century.

Attractive because
 A. free $ for state
officials
 B. federal
management of $ and
power to print more
money at will

Requires broad
congressional
coalitions
 Ex: federal funds for
increased public
safety after 9/11
 Ex: Homeland
Security grants

 1960s
shift- from
what states
demanded to what
the federal gov’t
deemed
important, also
known as federal
activism
 The
Intergovernmental Lobby
 a. Hundreds of state, local officials lobby in
Washington
 b. Federal agencies have staff members that
provide info, tech assistance, and financial
support to state and local organizations
 c. The purpose of both is to get more federal
$$$ with fewer strings


A grant that is for a
specific purpose
defined by federal
law. It usually has
many restrictions.
Ex: build an airport,
provide $ to poor
mothers.
Categorical Grants

A grant that is used
for a general purpose
and has few
restrictions.

Also called special
revenue sharing or
broad based aid
Block Grants
Categorical Grants
Block Grants
 What
are the 4 reasons why block grants and
revenue sharing did not attain the goals of
“no strings” or fiscal relief?
 1. The amount of $ given was not as much as
states expected
 2. The gov’t has increased “strings attached”
over time
 3. Block grants are given out less than
categorical grants…gives the federal gov’t
more control.
 4. Grants can cover a too wide area that it’s
difficult to see the benefits on 1 area
 Conditions
of aidThe federal gov’t
tells the states
what they must do
to get $
 Categorical
grants
are increasing
while block grants
are decreasing
 Definition-
Terms set by the federal gov’t
that states must meet whether or not they
accept federal grants.
 Most mandates have to do with the
environment, civil rights and lately people
with disabilities
 Mandates for education are the lowest in
number
 When the federal gov’t spends less on an
issue, it squeezes the states to spend more
for that purpose
 Examples:
desegregating
schools and
busing...come
from court orders
and not federal
law
 Since
the 1970sthe number of
conditions of
mandates has
increased. Free
money for
state/local gov’t
isn’t really free.
 The
aim is to pass
federal
responsibilities to
the states.
 Ex: AFDC- Aid to
Families with
Dependent
Children…cash
assistance to poor
mothers now state
function
 2nd
Order
Devolution- A flow
of money & power
from states to
local gov’t
 3rd
Order
Devolution- The
increased role of
nonprofit
organizations in
policy
implementation
 Typically,
done by Republicans but increased
under Pres. Clinton.
 Resulted in more government rules and
regulations.