AP Government 4: Knowing your terms! Check, Seperate & Federate!

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Lets look today at major government concepts that you need to keep straight:

The difference between Checks & Balances, Separation of Powers & Federalism. C/B is the overlapping functions within government. Specifically, the concern is that the President will do whatever he/she wants. This concerned is justified for the following reasons:
1. The increase in the size of bureaucracy. All those cabinet departments are administered by the President and the bureaucracy runs the programs that Congress authorizes
2. The President runs around war powers--we don't declare war anymore. marry that with executive decisions, which don't need approval
3. Congress is reluctant to use its powers. They can cut off funding and say no to the president. They have oversight powers, but rarely use them--especially if the President is from the same party. Bush was allowed free reign with the GOP Congress.

Its SUPREME!
The Court is basically unchecked EXCEPT they can only act on cases brought before them. They can bring their own cases, but they can strike laws down

FEDERALISM: The States and National government are NOT the same. The state has certain functions, such as records and many criminal actions that are under state rules. The national law is more overreaching. There is a supremacy clause that means that the national government is the tiebreaker. A national trend is Devolution--giving some jobs back to the states.