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nation
political unit whose people share a sense of common identity
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confederal system
system of gov in which ultimate authority rests with the regional govs.
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unitary system
system of gov. in which ultimate authority rests with the national gov.
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federalism
system of gov. in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between national and state govs
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self-gov
rule by the people
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enumerated powers
powers expressly granted to congress by the constitution
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necessary and proper clause (article 1, section 8)
gives congress the power to pass all laws necessary and proper to the powers enumerated in section 8
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reserve powers
powers retained by the states under the constitution
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police powers
authority of the states to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their citizens
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concurrent powers
powers held by both the national and state gov in a federal system
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gurantee clause (article IV, section 4)
provides a federal gov guarantee that the states will have a republican form of gov.
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due process clause
prevents the federal gov and the state gov from denying any person due process of law
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equal protection clause (14th amendment
prevents the states from denying any person the equal protection of the law
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supremacy clause (articl VI)
makes federal law supreme over state laws
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preemption
doctrine by which extensive federal regulation can prevent regulation by the states
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implied powers
powers not expressly granted to congress but added through the necessary and proper clause
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sovereign immunity
doctrine holding that states cannot be sued w/out their permission
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commerce clause (articl I, section 8)
gives congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, with indian tribes, and among the various states
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full faith and credit clause (article IV, section 1)
requires states to accept civil proceedings from other states
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privileges and immunities clause (Article IV, section 2)
Requires states to treat nonresidents equally to residents
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nation-centered federalism
view that the constitution adn the federal government derive from the people, not the states
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state-centered federalism
the states created the constitution and the fed. gov.
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states' rights
states have strong independent authority to resist federal rules under the constitution
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nullification
right of states to invalidate acts of congress they believe to be illegal
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McCulloch v. Maryland
supreme court decision upholding the right of congress to create a bank
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broad construction
interpretation of the constitution that goes beyond the plain meaning fo the specific words used
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Gibbons v. Ogden
Supreme court decision giving broad latitude to congress under the commerce clause
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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Supreme Court decision prohibiting Congress from regulating slavery in the territories
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civil rights cases
limited congressional authority to prohibit private discrimination under the 14th amendment
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dual federalism
doctrine holding that states and federal governments have almost completely separate functions
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civil rights act
prohibits discrimination in employment, education, and places of public accommodation
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voting rights act
gives the federal gov the right to prevent discrimination in voting rights
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new federalism
shifting of power back to the states beginning with the Nixon administration
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categorical grants
Money from Congress to the states that has to be spent in specific categories
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general revenue sharing
money from congress to the states that could be spent however the states wanted
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block grants
money from congress to the states that had to be spent in broad, rather than specific categories
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contract with America
campaign proposal containing ten legislative initiatives used by republicans running for the house of reps in 1994
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devolution
shifting of power from the national gov. to the states
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mandates
congressional requirements on the states to undertake particular activities; states object particularly to unfunded mandates
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line-item veto
power given to some governors to veto parts of appropriations bills
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omnibus bill
one very large bill that encompasses many separate bills, to help ensure passage
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missouri plan
process for selecting state judges whereby the original nomination is by appointment and subsequent retention is by a retention election.
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retention election
election in which voters determine whether a state judge, originally appointed under a merit plan, should be retained in the state court system
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city-manager system
local gov. system in which the legislative branch hires a manager to run the executive branch.
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recall
citizens can remove state officials prior to the end of their elected term of office
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initiative
citizens place a proposed law on the ballot for public approval
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referendum
process by which public approval is required before states can pass certain laws
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affirmative action
policies that grant racial or gender preferences in hiring, education, or contracting
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direct democracy
form of democracy in which political power is exercised directly by citizens
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intergovernmental lobby
set of lobbies that represent the interests of state and local governments
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policy diffusion
policy ideas and programs initiated by one state spread to other states
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race to the bottom
situation in which states compete with one another to lower protections and services below the level they might otherwise prefer.
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conformity costs
cost of democracy borne by those ppl in the minority, who on one or more issues live under the rules set by the majority
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