| A | B |
|---|
| Sovereignty | The quality of being supreme in power of authority. |
| Federalism | The division of power between a central government and regional governments. |
| Dual Federalism | A view that holds that the Constitution is a compact among sovereign states, so that the powers of the national government and the states are clearly differentiated. |
| States' Rights | The idea that all rights not specifically conferred on the national government by the U.S. Constitution are reserved to the states. |
| Implied Powers | Those powers that Congress needs to execute its enumerated powers. |
| Cooperative Federalism | A view that holds that the Constitution is an agreement among people who are citizens of both state and nation, so there is much overlap between state powers and national powers. |
| Elastic Clause | The last clause in Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution, which gives Congress the means to execute its enumerated powers. This clause is the basis for Congress's implied powers. Also called the necessary and proper clause. |
| Commerce Clause | The third clause of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution, which gives Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states. |
| Grant-in-aid | Money provided by one level of government to another to be spent for a given purpose. |
| Categorical Grants | Grants-in-aid targeted for a specific purpose by either formula or project. |
| Formula Grants | Categorical grants distributed according to a particular set of rules, called a formula, that specify who is eligible forthe grants and how much each eligible applicant will recieve. |
| Project Grants | Categorical grants awarded on the basis of competitive applications submitted by prospective recipients to perform a specific task or function. |
| Block Grants | Grants-in-aid awarded for general purposes, allowing the recipient great discretion in spending the grant money. |
| Policy Entrepreneurs | Citizens, members of interest groups, or public officials who champion particular policy ideas. |
| Preemption | The power of Congress to enact laws by which the national government assumes total or partial responsibility for a state government function. |
| Mandate | A requirement that a state undertake an activity or provide a service, in keeping with minimum national standards. |
| Restraint | A requirement laid down by act of Congress, prohibiting a state or local government from exercising a certain power. |
| Redistricting | The process of redrawing political boundaries to relfect changes in population. |
| Municipal Governments | The government units that administer a city or town. |
| County Governments | The government units that administer a county. |
| School District | The government unit that administers elementary and secondary school programs. |
| Special Districts | Government units created to perform particular functions, especially when those functions are best performed across jurisdictional boundaries. |
| Home Rule | The right to enact and enforce legislation locally. |
