Chapter 4 notes

Question 1

A true federal system such as that in the United States must have which features?

Answer 1

1. a written constitution that divides government powers between the central government and the constituent governments, givings substantial powers to each level of government.
2. levels of government, exercising power directly over citizens
3. a constitutional distribution of powers that cannot be changed unilaterally by any level of government or by the ordinary process of legislation

Question 2

true or false: Any official can obtain warrants for local crime.

Answer 2

false; only local officials can obtain warrants for local crimes

Question 3

Who handled the assassination of JFK, federal law or local law.

Answer 3

Local law enforcement, because at the time it was not a federal crime to assassinate the president.

Question 4

That which forms and shapes the contet of every government, is the ___________ ___________ or accord by which the government was created.

Answer 4

fundamental settlement

Question 5

What is the oldest written constitution continuously in force?

Answer 5

The 1789 U.S. Constitution

Question 6

When it comes to our federal system, the source of its authority is the _______ as oppressed to the states.

Answer 6

people

Question 7

The constitution denies certain powers to the ________ _________, reserving them for the ______ and the ______.

Answer 7

national government
states
people

Question 8

Who wrote the Federalist papers and why?

Answer 8

Alexander Hamilton
James Madison
John Jay

They wrote it to encourage New York to ratify the new Constitution.

Question 9

What happened in the McCulloch vs. Maryland?

Answer 9

The court upheld the implied powers granted to the Congress by the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution.
Upheld the supremacy of the national government in carrying out functions assigned to it by the Constitution.
Established the doctrine of intergovernmental tax immunity.

Question 10

The most fundamental aspects of the American federal system include the Constitution’s provisions which three areas?

Answer 10

1. its creation of a federal system that is, one in which there is both a national government and state governments
2. its allocation of certain function to the national government
3. its embodiment of certain principles, particularly through the interpretation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Question 11

What are the three categories of government?

Answer 11

Unitary Government
Federal Government
Confederations

Question 12

What is Unitary Government?

Answer 12

There are no state governments; all important power lies with the national government.

Question 13

What is Federal Government?

Answer 13

There is a national government and a number of state governments; power is shared between them.

Question 14

What is a Confederations government?

Answer 14

Power rests with “sovereign” state governments, and an overarching government has some defined powers.

Question 15

What are examples of unitary government?

Answer 15

Denmark
France
Japan
New Zealand

Question 16

What are examples of federal government?

Answer 16

Australia
Brazil 
Canada 
Germany 
India 
Mexico 
Switzerland 
United States

Question 17

What are examples of Confederation government?

Answer 17

European Union

Commonwealth of Independent States

Question 18

What are the four key advantages that Unitary Government has over a federal system or a confederation?

Answer 18

1. National direction is clear; no negotiation of conflict.
2. There can be no confusion as to accountability. It is impossible for legislators to pass the buck.
3. Duplication of legislatures, bureaucracies, and programs is avoided with significant savings in direct costs
4. Issues of fairness in raising and spending money between levels of government simply do not arise.

Question 19

What are the five key advantages that Federal Government has over the other systems of government?

Answer 19

1. a federal system has greater scope for diversity and experimentation in policy
2. The need to debate issues rather than enact them instantly may provide a more considered and viable policy outcome.
3. a federal system must consider the different ethnic or cultural groupings that may predominate in a particular state and wish to pursue a distinct cultural or social policy
4. encourages or demands regional participation in governance
5. provides sufficient allowance for the needs of minorities or weaker groups

Question 20

____________ systems of government are inherently weak as central governments.

Answer 20

Confederate

Question 21

The _________ ________ was originally a confederate system.

Answer 21

United States

Question 22

The United States was originally a ____________ system.

Answer 22

confederate

Question 23

How are Intergovernmental relations like marble-cakes?

Answer 23

The cooperative relations among the varying levels of government result in an intermingling of activities

Question 24

What is dual federalism?

Answer 24

Two governments covering the same ground yet distinct and separate in their action

Question 25

What was a form of federalism popular during the Johnson administration from 1963 to 1969, that emphasized that the federal government determined the needs of the states?

Answer 25

creative federalism

Question 26

What is New Federalism?

Answer 26

a political philosophy of devolution, or the transfer of certain powers from the United States federal government back to the states.

Question 27

Who created the idea of New Federalism?

Answer 27

President Richard Nixon

Question 28

What is New, New Federalism?

Answer 28

an attempt at revenue sharing by Ronald Reagan.