Chapter 3 – Flashcards

Which of the following best exemplifies the doctrine of preemption? A）welfare reform, which preempts states from giving benefits to some residents B）federal criminalization of marijuana, even when states or cities allow medicinal use C）federal regulations in which the cost is borne by the states D）federal and state governments sharing the cost of a new highway

What is the purpose of the Tenth Amendment? A）to give each state constitution the same protections as the federal constitution B）to limit the powers of the central government by establishing reserved powers for states and individuals C）to grant to the citizens of each state access to the federal court system D）to establish the electoral college

Which president is best known for his attempts to return power to the states? A）Richard Nixon B）George W. Bush C）Jimmy Carter D）Harry Truman

Which of the following best represents a unitary system of government? A）The national government selects the textbooks and curriculum for all schools. B）The national government establishes general guidelines for school policy. C）The national government gives vouchers to parents for use in private schools. D）The national government makes funding for schools dependent on test scores.

In contrast to the ____________ federalism that defined America until the 1930s, since the New Deal, ____________ federalism has prevailed. A）dual; cooperative B）dual; layer-cake C）cooperative; dual D）cooperative; new

Which of the following statements about federalism is true? A）Federalism is the most widely used method to divide powers among governmental units in the democracies of the world. B）The U.S. system of federalism allows substantial inequalities to exist across the country. C）Federalism and democracy are synonymous concepts. D）The United States is the only federal system in the world.

Which of the following statements is not true? A）For most of U.S. history, the national government was quite small by comparison both to state governments and to the governments of other Western nations. B）For most of U.S. history, virtually all of the functions of the national government were aimed at assisting commerce. C）For most of U.S. history, virtually none of the national government's policies directly coerced citizens. D）For most of U.S. history, the national government followed a strict interpretation of interstate commerce.

Which of the following is a "traditional" area of national government responsibility? A）defense B）Social Security C）welfare D）FEMA

When a state's laws conflict with federal law on international trade issues, A）the state and federal governments enter negotiations to work out a compromise. B）the World Trade Organization hears the case. C）the state law is supreme, so the federal law is invalid. D）the national government law is supreme, so the state law is invalid.

Advocates of devolution argue that it encourages policy experimentation and innovation by states. The phrase that reflects this sentiment is A）cooperative federalism. B）home rule. C）laboratories of democracy. D）dual federalism.

Which of the following statements best captures the meaning of the concept of regulated federalism? A）State governments regulate how much personal income tax revenue they send to the national government. B）In recent years the national government has created a large number of regulatory commissions primarily to monitor the policy performance of state governments. C）The national government sets standards of conduct or requires the states to set standards that meet national guidelines. D）The states act as watchdogs and regulate federal government grants-in-aid.

Specific powers provided to the national government in the U.S. Constitution are called ____________ powers. A）expressed B）reserved C）concurrent D）defined

Which provision allows cities a guarantee of noninterference in various local affairs by state governments? A）home rule B）referendum C）initiative D）merit system

The Constitution specifically grants Congress the power to do all of the following except A）borrow money. B）lay and collect taxes. C）declare war. D）charter a national bank.

Gibbons v. Ogden in 1824 was important because it A）gave the national government significant new authority to regulate interstate commerce. B）established the principle of judicial review. C）declared that interstate commerce was to be regulated by state governments. D）established the principle of no fees on exports.

What is a grant-in-aid? A）money provided by cities to state governments B）money appropriated by the national Congress to state and local governments C）the major source of revenue for the national government D）what the Department of War uses to fund military operations

Which type of grant provides more control to state and local governments in the distribution of federal grants-in-aid? A）formula B）project C）categorical D）block

By the year 1932, ____________ percent of the U.S. workforce was unemployed. A）10 B）15 C）20 D）25

McCulloch v. Maryland is an important case because A）the Court interpreted the delegated powers of Congress broadly, creating the potential for increased national powers. B）the Court gave a very restricted definition of Congress's delegated powers, in keeping with the era of dual federalism. C）the Court announced that dual federalism did not conform to the framers intent. D）this case began the era of dual federalism.

The Internet Tax Freedom Act that prohibits states and localities from taxing Internet access services is a good example of A）preemption. B）home rule. C）devolution. D）dual federalism.

Which level of government is not addressed in the Constitution? A）the national government B）the states C）cities D）All of these are addressed in the Constitution.

During the course of American history, the power of the federal government has _______ with the states. A）grown stronger, compared B）grown weaker, compared C）remained the same, compared D）grown in tandem

Most of the rules and regulations Americans face in their daily lives are set by A）state and local governments. B）the federal government. C）regulatory commissions. D）the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a federal system, power is distributed A）within the state governments. B）between the state and local governments. C）within the national government. D）between state and national governments.

According to the text, what is one of the important arguments for a strong federal government? A）its role in ensuring equality B）its role in ensuring liberty C）its role in allocating wealth to a particular group D）none of the above

By the end of 2008, how many states allowed same-sex marriage? A）1 B）6 C）41 D）none

The belief that having separate and equally powerful levels of government is the best argument is called A）the full faith and credit clause. B）the doctrine of implied powers. C）confederation. D）dual federalism.

The New Deal of the 1930s signaled the rise of A）a less active national government. B）a more active national government. C）unfunded mandates. D）revenue sharing.

States' rights advocates argue that A）state governments' rights are subordinate to national government policies. B）the elastic clause allows for expansion of states' rights. C）only the national government can amend the U.S. Constitution. D）states do not have to submit to national laws when they believe the national government exceeds its authority.

The division of powers and functions between the national government and state governments is the definition of A）confederation. B）intergovernmental relations. C）expressed powers. D）federalism.

Especially since the New Deal in the 1930s, ____________ has/have played a much more prominent role in protecting liberty and promoting equality. A）the national government B）state governments C）county governments D）city governments

The power to declare war is an example of which type of power? A）reserved B）implied C）concurrent D）expressed

The era of "New Federalism" began in the A）1950s. B）1960s. C）1970s. D）1980s.

The process of transferring more responsibilities of governing from the national level to the state level is known as A）preemption. B）full faith and commerce. C）devolution. D）dual federalism.

The 1996 Welfare Reform Act is an example of New Federalism because A）the national government has tried "new" types of taxes to pay for it. B）it reduced the restrictions on how states spend grant money. C）it reduced the role of state governments in administering the program. D）it increased the role of the federal government in the day-to-day operation of the programs.

Implied powers of the necessary and proper clause allows A）state governments to nullify national government laws. B）the national government to interpret its delegated powers expansively. C）for judicial review. D）the national government to reserve powers to state governments.

What type of federalism is metaphorically referred to as "marble cake" federalism? A）cooperative federalism B）competitive federalism C）mixed federalism D）subterranean federalism

Which of the following statements best captures the meaning of the concept devolution of authority? A）State governments have given the federal government more of their powers over time. B）State governments have devolved to the point where they exercise very little power in the federal system. C）City governments are now the premiere power brokers in national politics. D）The national government grants the states more authority over a range of policies.

The Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Lopez is important because A）it was the first time since the New Deal that the Supreme Court limited the power of Congress under the commerce clause. B）it was the first time that the Court had ever used the Tenth Amendment to limit the power of Congress. C）the Court found that citizens could not bring racial discrimination suits against state governments. D）the Court found the line-item veto to be unconstitutional.

Why did the framers of the Constitution limit the power of the federal government? A）They disliked a bloated "big government." B）They feared that federal government could be a guarantor of liberty. C）They valued most the political principle of equality. D）They were suspicious of centralized power.

Regulations or new conditions for receiving grants that impose costs on state and local governments for which they are not reimbursed by the national government is the definition of A）preemption. B）unfunded mandates. C）fiscal federalism. D）dual federalism.