WHY FEDERALISM?
• THE FRAMERS NEEDED TO CREATE A STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WHILE PROTECTING CITIZENS’
FREEDOMS AND ALLOWING THE STATES TO RETAIN SOME POWERS.
• THE CONSTITUTION WAS BASED ON A FEDERAL MODEL FOR DIVIDING AND SHARING POWER AMONG
DIFFERENT LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
• DISAGREEMENT CONTINUES OVER THE RIGHT FORMULA FOR DIVIDING AND SHARING THIS POWER
(DIFFERING INTERPRETATIONS/POLITICAL PARTIES/VIEWS)
• FEDERALISM – SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN WHICH TOW OR MORE GOVERNMENTS EXERCISE POWER
OVER THE SAME PEOPLE AND THE SAME TERRITORY
FEDERALISM IN THE CONSTITUTION
• EXPRESSED POWERS ARE STATED IN THE CONSTITUTION, AND IMPLIED POWERS ARE NOT STATED BUT
FORM THE BASIS FOR CARRYING OUT STATED POWERS.
• DELEGATED POWERS – POWERS THAT THE CONSTITUTION GRANTS TO THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
• POWERS NOT GIVEN TO THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ARE RESERVED FOR THE STATES.
• CONCURRENT POWERS ARE SHARED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATES.
• TAX, MAINTAIN COURTS, DEFINE CRIMES, TAKE PRIVATE PROPERTY FOR PUBLIC USE
FEDERALISM IN THE CONSTITUTION
• THE CONSTITUTION SPECIFICALLY DENIES SOME POWERS TO ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
• UNDER THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE, STATE AND LOCAL LAWS MAY NOT CONFLICT WITH THE U.S.
CONSTITUTION.
• CONSTITUTION, LAWS PASSED BY CONGRESS AND TREATIES OF THE UNITED STATES ARE THE “SUPREME LAW OF
THE LAND”
• CONSTITUTION GIVES THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT SPECIFIED POWERS, RESERVING ALL OTHERS TO THE
STATES
GUARANTEES TO AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE
STATES
• THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT HAVE DEVELOPED THROUGH CONFLICT,
COMPROMISE, AND COOPERATION.
• THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT MUST GUARANTEE EACH STATE A REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT,
PROTECTION, AND AID IN EMERGENCIES.
• GOVERNMENT WHERE VOTERS HOLD SOVEREIGN POWER AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO THE
PEOPLE WHO EXERCISE THAT POWER
GUARANTEES TO AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE
STATES
• CONGRESS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESPECTING THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF EACH STATE AND FOR THE
ADMISSION OF NEW STATES.
• ENABLING ACT – ACT THAT ALLOWS THE PEOPLE OF A TERRITORY INTERESTED IN BECOMING A STATE TO
PREPARE A CONSTITUTION
• STATES HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES IN CONDUCTING ELECTIONS AND IN AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.
FEDERAL AIDE AND MANDATES
• FEDERAL AID IS GRANTED TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE WILLING TO MEET CERTAIN
CONDITIONS.
• FEDERAL GRANT – A SUM OF MONEY GIVEN TO A STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE
• MANDATES REQUIRE STATES TO MEET NATIONAL STANDARDS IN SOME STATE FUNCTIONS.
• A RESTRAINT LIMITS THE ABILITY OF A STATE TO REGULATE AN AREA.
• A PREEMPTION ALLOWS THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR A STATE
FUNCTION.
CONFLICTS
• THE FEDERAL COURT SYSTEM SETTLES DISPUTES BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.
• MCCULLOCH V. MARYLAND ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT’S SUPREMACY IN CONFLICTS
WITH STATE GOVERNMENTS.
• MANY SUPREME COURT RULINGS HAVE ADDRESSED THE DIVISION OF POWER BETWEEN STATE AND
NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS.
STATE POWERS
• STATES REGULATE CORPORATIONS WITHIN THEIR BORDERS AND PROMOTE THOSE BUSINESSES.
• PROTECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY IS THE PRIMARY DUTY OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
• EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND WELFARE ACCOUNT FOR THE LARGEST PORTION OF STATE SPENDING.
• STATES FINANCE ABOUT HALF, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT 10%, AND LOCAL DISTRICTS THE REMAINDER
• STATES TRY TO PRESERVE THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES BY REGULATING AIR AND WATER POLLUTION.
• FEDERALISM GIVES A LOT OF FREEDOM TO EACH STATE, SO THERE ARE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES AMONG
STATES.
RELATIONS AMONG STATES
• STATES MUST HONOR OTHER STATES’ LAWS AND COURT ORDERS, EVEN IF THEIR OWN LAWS ARE
DIFFERENT.
• EXTRADITE – TO RETURN A FUGITIVE WHO FLEES ACROSS STATE LINES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL STATE
• STATES MUST GIVE THE SAME FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS TO PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES THAT THEY GIVE
THEIR OWN CITIZENS.
• STATES USUALLY SETTLE DISAGREEMENTS BY MAKING INTERSTATE COMPACTS.
• WRITTEN AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO OR MORE STATES
• THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IS THE ONLY COURT WHERE ONE STATE CAN SUE ANOTHER.
FEDERALISM AND PUBLIC POLICY
• THE BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATES EVOLVES IN RESPONSE
TO NEW ISSUES.
• THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF NEW POLICIES CAN HAPPEN AT STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS.
• SOMETIMES PUBLIC POLICY IS CREATED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND STATES FOLLOW.
• THE STATED COURSE OF ACTION THE GOVERNMENT TAKES TO ADDRESS PROBLEMS OR ISSUES
• A BROAD INTERPRETATION OF THE TERM COMMERCE HAS EXPANDED THE POWER OF THE NATIONAL
GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE INTERSTATE COMMERCE.
FEDERALISM AND PUBLIC POLICY
• EXAMPLES OF STATES OR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKING THE LEAD IN MAKING PUBLIC POLICY:
• GEORGIA ALLOWING 18 YEAR OLDS TO VOTE, CALIFORNIA PASSING AIR POLLUTION LAWS, VOTING RIGHTS ACT
OF 1964
• EASIER TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY AT LOCAL LEVEL BECAUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS CLOSER TO THE
PEOPLE AND BETTER REFLECT THE UNIQUE NEEDS AND WISHES OF THEIR RESIDENTS
FEDERALISM AND POLITICAL PARTIES
• RIVAL POLITICAL PARTIES ARE A KEY ELEMENT OF DEMOCRACY.
• SUPPORTERS OF STRONGER STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BELIEVE THESE GOVERNMENTS ARE
BETTER ABLE TO MEET PEOPLE’S NEEDS.
• SUPPORTERS OF A STRONG NATIONAL GOVERNMENT BELIEVE THAT THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT IS
BETTER EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH MAJOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.
FEDERALISM AND POLITICAL
PARTICIPATION
• FEDERALISM INCREASES OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS.
• AMERICANS HAVE THE CHANCE TO VOTE REGULARLY FOR A VARIETY OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND
ISSUES.
• CITIZENS CAN CONTACT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON ALL LEVELS AND AFFECT PUBLIC POLICY.
• CITIZENS MAY ALSO WORK WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TO AFFECT GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND
AGENCIES.