Democratic Theory
Federalism
Section Eight
I Want Your Vote
Can You Help ME?
100
Democracy works because all factions have equal opportunity to get their points across: no single group can dominate the political process.
What is pluralism?
100
The power states said they had to declare Federal Laws unconstitutional.
What is power of nullification?
100
This supreme court case established that commerce is more than trade.
What is Gibbons v. Ogden
100
Organizations formed within an interest group to funnel campaign financing to Congressional and Presidential candidates: donations subject to strict federal expenditure limits.
What are PACs?
100
When Congressional staffers, high level bureaucrats, and ranking military officers retire and are immediately hired by interest groups or their lobbyists.
What is the revolving door?
200
When everyone gets to vote on every issue.
What is a direct democracy?
200
Federal impositions of exactly what states must do even when they don't get federal monies to do it.
What are unfunded mandates?
200
Founding fathers added this just in case they forgot something.
What is the necessary and proper clause?
200
Political process whereby State Legislatures redraw Congressional voting districts to favor the party in control of the respective State Legislature.
What is gerrymandering?
200
When interest groups take actions to generate constituent pressures on a Congressman to act in a manner that favors the interest group's agenda.
What is grassroots lobbying?
300
When voters, via a petition, can force the State to have a referendum on a specific issue: very popular in California and unconstitutional in North Carolina.
What is an initiative?
300
The Federal Government provides the monies under broad categories: the states decide exactly how to use the funds.
What are block grants?
300
This supreme court case established that the commerce clause does not apply to criminal acts even though such acts may have impact on commerce.
What is Lopez v. US
300
Monies collected, subject to strict limitations, by candidates to finance their election or re-election campaigns.
What is hard money?
300
The expanding role of government and government policies, strong leaders seeking to make a change in government policies, the potential or actual adverse impact of specific government policies.
What are factors that explain the rise of interest groups?
400
The theory that government is controlled by a multiple of iron triangles, making public policy impervious to direction from above.
What is hyper-pluralism?
400
Returning decision making from the central government to the states: popularized by President Reagan.
What is devolution?
400
This authority, to pass bills looking backward in time, is not provided to Congress in Article I, Section Eight
What is an ex post facto law?
400
To 'run' National Conventions every four years and to coordinate work on the party platform.
What is the job of the national Republican or Democratic Committees?
400
A technique used by some interest groups to effect change when they have little support in Congress nor money to fund broad-based appeals? The NAACP was very successful in this regard.
What is litigation?
500
This founding father was absent from the Constitutional Convention because he was serving as Ambassador to France.
Who was Thomas Jefferson
500
The supreme court case that validated the use of the elastic clause and the supremacy clause.
What is McCulloch v. Maryland
500
In this case, the Supreme Court stated that the commerce clause includes the power to regulate purely local activities that are part of a "class of activities" with a substantial effect on interstate commerce. The majority argued that Congress could ban local marijuana use because it was part of such a "class of activities": the national marijuana market.
What is Gonzales v. Raich?
500
A meeting held by members of a political party, often in small to medium sized groups, to decide which candidate best represents their interests: often delegates are selected to represent their views at state-wide meetings.
What is a caucus?
500
Providing expert testimony and supplying credible information to bill writers.
How do interest groups effect legislation?
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