1.4 Interpretations and debates around the US Constitution and federalism

Question 1

policy consequences of federalism

Answer 1

States can act as policy laboratories, experimenting new solutions to old porblems - seen with health care reforn in massachusetts

Question 2

What effect does federalism have on political parties

Answer 2

Political parties are decentralised, state based parties, Texas democrats more conservative than Vermont democrats
seen when Republicans held state party conventions instead of primary/caucus in Colorado

Question 3

Economic consequences of federalism

Answer 3

huge federal grants given to states, complexities of tax system in America