POL 201: Intro' To American Politics

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POL 201 Intro. To American Politics

• Professor Casey Klofstad

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Last Time The Constitution

• First Attempt Art. of Confederation
• Articles too weak
• security and economic concerns
• The Constitution
• federal system with 3 branches
• This system is not perfect, but it is stable and
  yet flexible after 200 years.

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Lecture 10 Federalism

• Federalism, and other alternatives
• Role of the national government before and after
  the Civil War
• Federalism today governance through federal
  grants
• State and local government
• Pro and con on U.S. federalism

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Federalism Defined

• Sovereignty fundamental authority
• Federalism division of sovereignty between two
  levels of government
• both levels have elected officials, power to
  tax, and authority to pass laws

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Three Ways to Structure a National Government
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Why Federalism?

• Experiences with colonial rule
• pre-existence of strong states
• Large and diverse nation

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Division of Power Between the Nation States
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Strong States, But

• 10th Amendment the reservation clause gives
  states lots of power
• BUT strong national govt too
• necessary and proper clause
• supremacy clause

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Doctrine of Nullification

• Idea that states have the authority to ignore the
  national government

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McCullough v. Maryland (1819)

• Q Can a state tax a federal bank?
• A NO
• tax is unconstitutional under the necessary and
  proper clause
• So what?
• weakened nullification via judicial review

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Doctrine of Nullification

• Idea that states have the authority to ignore the
  national government
• Challenged in McCullough v. Maryland (1819)
• Finally ended via the Civil War
• Civil Rights Amendments (13, 14 15)

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Natl Authority After Civil War

• Commerce Clause Congress can regulate
  interstate commerce
• intERstate between state
• intRAstate within a state
• Large expansion of national authority
• everything interpreted as interstate commerce

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1990s Present Day

• The Supreme Court is turning back to favoring the
  rights of states.
• e.g., New York v. U.S. (1992)
• BUT 9/11 had led to some increases in federal
  authority over the states.

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Federal Tax Dollars Sent to the US States
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Federalism Today Grants-in-Aid

• Spending Clause Congress can attach
  requirements to grants
• categorical clear requirements
• block fewer restrictions on use
• Cooperative Federalism?
• guidelines too strict or too vague
• states forced to take federal money

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Spending by State and Federal Governments
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State Government

• Similar structure to national govt
• Policies differ from state to state
• why? because of different political cultures
• states as policy laboratories

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Local Government

• Different types
• e.g., counties/parishes, municipalities,
  special districts
• High involvement in day-to-day life
• Most officials are elected
• BUT low level of voter participation

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Federalism Pro and Con

• Diversity vs. need for standards
• People are closer to more local officials and
  institutions.
• BUT but we dont participate in these elections
  very much
• Innovation, but negative competition

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Federalism Unresolved Conflict

• What is the best political unitstate or
  national?
• This question will continue to be debated.

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POL 201 Intro. To American Politics

• Professor Casey Klofstad