Notes Chapter 4 Section 2
The National Government
I. What the Constitution Guarantees
a. Requires the National Government to guarantee certain things to the States
b. Makes it possible for the National Government to do certain things for the States
II. Nations Obligations to the states
a. Constitution places many obligations on the National Government for the benefit of the states.
i. Require the National Government to “guarantee to every State a Republic Form of Government”
1. Constitution does not define Republican form of government
a. Understood as a “representative” form
b. Invasion and Internal Disorder
i. Any attack on any of the 50 states is an attack on the United States
1. Is this important today?
ii. Domestic Violence
1. National Government does assume that the states might not be able to control all situations
2. Detroit Riot in the 1960’s
3. Ravages of Nature and Storms
c. Respect the boundaries of each state
III. Admitting new states
a. Only congress has this power
i. A new state may not be formed by taking the territory of existing states without those states legislature being involved
b. Admission Procedure
i. Area wanting state hood asks Congress for permission
1. If congress chooses to allow the state to enter, they pass an Enabling Act
a. Act Directing the people of the territory to frame a proposed State constitution
i. Convention prepares the constitution
ii. Put to popular vote in the proposed State, if approved it is submitted to Congress for its consideration
iii. Must then pass an ACT OF ADMISSION
1. Act creating the new state
c. Conditions for Admissions
i. Utah outlawed polygamy
ii. Each state enters the Union on an equal basis.
IV. Cooperative Federalism
a. American federal system involves a broad area of SHARED POWERS
i. Large and growing areas of cooperation between the state and federal government
b. Federal Grants-in-Aid
i. Grants of federal money or other resources to the States and/or their cities, countries, and other local units.
ii. Based on the National Governments taxing power
iii. Today 275 Million
c. Revenue Sharing
i. Different form of federal monetary aid
1. Congress gave an annual share of the huge federal tax revenue to the states and their cities, counties, and townships
2. 83 Billion
3. No strings were attached to this money
d. Types of Federal Grants
i. Today congress appropriates money for three types of grants-in-aids
1. Categorical Grants
a. Largest number
b. Specific, school lunches or for the construction of airports
c. Come with guidelines
i. Use the federal monies only for the specific purpose involved
ii. Sometimes need a matching amount
iii. Provide an agency to administer the grant
iv. Obey a set of guidelines tailored to the purpose
2. Block Grants
a. Growing in popularity
b. Provide a broader purpose
c. Health care, social services, or welfare
d. Fewer limitations
3. Project Grants
a. Made to States, Localities, sometimes private agencies
i. Department of Health and Human Services
1. Support cancer research