Download Federalism – 2007 - #4

Federalism – 2007 - #4
a) Federalism: Federalism is the division of political power between the federal and state
governments. The founding fathers of the United States chose this political
structure because they felt that the unitary system that England utilized
consolidated too much power in the hands of the national government.
Federalism allows for states to have their own unique powers and was a
concession to the smaller state governments that had to relinquish some of their
powers when the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation
b) Each of the following has been used to increase the power of the federal
government relative to the states:
1) Categorical Grants: Since the Civil War, the federal government has
systematically expanded its authority to the detriment of the states.
Ideally, under the system of Cooperative Federalism, the national and state
governments would work together to address policy issues, but with the
use of Fiscal Federalism, the federal government has used financial
incentives to get the states to do what the federal government wants. In
terms of categorical grants, the federal government provides money to the
states for a specific purpose. States must spend the money in the manner
that the federal government allocates it. One example of a categorical
grant was the money that was given to Alaska for the infamous “Bridge to
No Where.” Those transportation dollars could only be spent on that
bridge, not even for any other road development.
2) Federal Mandates: In order to ensure that states adhere to even more of the
desires of the federal government, the federal government has created
many mandates. Mandates are specific requirements that the states must
adhere to in order to receive the money, or put into place before the money
can be given to the states. There are cross cutting and cross over
mandates. One example of a mandate is found within the 1964 Civil
Rights Act. Supported by the power given to the federal government
under the Commerce Clause, the Civil Rights Act stated that all states
must desegregate their public schools in order to receive federal funds. It
was very effective in the fight for integration.
c) Each of the following has been used to increase the power of the states over the
federal government:
1) 1996 Welfare Reform Act: Under the executive leadership of President Bill
Clinton, who was much more of a centrist than the other members of his
Democratic Party, and with support from the conservative Congress,
especially Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, the 1996 Welfare Reform
Act gave states greater authority over how to use the federal assistance
that was given to them for the purpose of social services. Also, states
were given greater leeway on how to create programs that transitioned
people from the welfare rolls to being able to work and provide for
themselves.
2) Block Grants: These federal funds from the national government have few
strings attached to them. Block Grants, which have been supported by
many conservatives like Ronald Reagan and the Republicans that were
elected under the “Contract with America” in 1994, give states much
greater discretion on how to spend their state dollars.