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American Government 4/e Thomas E. Patterson | |||||
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American Government 4/e Thomas E. Patterson | |||||
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CHAPTER OUTLINE
The welfare reform bill
The chapter’s main points:
Power of government must be equal to its responsibilities
Federalism was the result of political bargaining
Federalism is not a "fixed principle" but has changed with the times
Contemporary federalism tilts toward national authority
Federalism: National and State Sovereignty
Introduction
Federalism divided sovereignty (the ultimate authority to govern) between national and state governments
Until 1787, United States had been a confederacy (states had sovereignty)
A unitary system vests sovereignty solely in the national government
The Argument for Federalism
Protecting Liberty
Responsive Government
Strong Government
The Powers of the Nation
Enumerated Powers–specifically given to national government
Seventeen powers listed in Article I, Section 8
Article VI grants supremacy clause (national law is supreme to states)
Implied Powers–powers of the national government not specifically granted to it
Stem from "necessary and proper clause" or elastic clause
Important so as not to restrict government’s adaptation to change
The Powers of the States
Reserved Powers: the authority of the states
Antifederalists feared consequences of a strong national government
Madison observed that states could retain many governing functions
Tenth Amendment grants reserved powers to the states
Federalism in Historical Perspective
Introduction
Framers avoided details; brief phrases gave government flexibility
Constitution does not define difference between interstate and intrastate commerce
An Indestructible Union (1789—1865)
The Nationalist View: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Jefferson and Hamilton clashed over issue of a national bank
John Marshall ruled in favor of the bank (implied powers)
Marshall also strengthened supremacy clause (Maryland could not tax the national bank)
The States’ Rights View: The Dred Scott Decision (1857)
Calhoun’s "nullification doctrine"
Taney’s Court ruled that slaves were "property" and not "citizens"
Lincoln campaigned for gradual abolition of slavery
Civil War established binding national authority upon states
Dual Federalism and Laissez-Faire Capitalism (1865—1937)
Dual federalism assumed a precise state-federal separation of powers
Industrial revolution raised questions about dual federalism
The Fourteenth Amendment and State Discretion
Fourteenth Amendment intended to protect citizens from discrimination by state governments
Supreme Court rulings undermined the amendment
Judicial Protection of Business
Court narrowly interpreted commerce power (weakened regulation)
In Hammer v. Dagenhart (1918), Court ruled that child labor was a state matter
National Authority Prevails
The Great Depression demonstrated that America had a national and interdependent economy
After FDR’s "court-packing plan," Court began supporting New Deal
Toward National Citizenship
Idea that all Americans are equal in their rights has become pervasive
Important differences remain in citizens’ rights, privileges, immunities
Federalism Today
Interdependency and Intergovernmental Relations
Economy is now national and international in scope
Cooperative federalism–a "marble cake," not a " layer cake"
Levels of government now cooperate more than ever-before
Government Revenues and Intergovernmental Relations
Fiscal Federalism–the expenditure of federal funds on programs that run in part
through state and local government
Tremendous growth in public employment at the state/local levels
Federal grants-in-aid have increased tenfold in the past four decades
Federal grants actually decreased during the 1980s
Federal grants were on the increase again by 1990 (health, welfare costs)
Categorical and Block Grants
Federal funds account for roughly $1 of every $5 spent by state and local governments
Most aid in form of categorical grants (used only for specific purposes)
Block grants gives state and local governments more discretion
A New Federalism: Devolution
Budgetary Pressures and Public Opinion
Federal budget pressures led to unfunded mandates and cuts in grants to states and localities
The Republican Revolution
Republican-controlled Congress pushed for greater state/local control, fewer unfunded mandates
The Public’s Influence: Setting the Boundaries of Federal-State Power
FDR’s programs, such as Social Security, attracted public support
LBJ’s Great Society programs reflected Americans’ desire for government services
Today, public opinion is behind current rollback in federal authority
GOP victory in 1994
Less than half of public express confidence in Washington
Some 66 percent felt officials in Washington did not care about them
Wilson: nation-state relationship is decided anew each historic era
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