the relationship of the federal system of government with the states 1.3 Flashcards
1
Q
what sort of policies do the state governments deal with
A
- domestic policy
- education
- economic policy
2
Q
what sort of policies do the federal government deal with
A
- foreign policy
- security role
3
Q
how has, overtime, the federal government become more powerful
A
- economic crises where federal power grows but state powers do not ( Roosevelt’s ‘New Deal’ Policies during the Great Depression)
4
Q
how is independence seen in the overall american government
A
federal and state must work together in order to get legislature through
5
Q
what was ‘Race to the Top’ intiative in 2009 by Obama
A
- state’s were given an allowance of $4.3 Billion in order to meet 20 educational needs
- this incentivises states to put into practice policies wanting to be set by the federal government
6
Q
what is a federal mandate
A
- forces states to comply with a law passed by the federal government
- states can overturn these policies in the supreme court ( done with Shelby vs Holder as deemed unconstitutional since the Voting Rights Act )
7
Q
why is independent state laws a nuisance to federal law sometimes
A
- some states can refuse federal law as they are independent
- For example, Florida refused to go under lockdown during COVID although advised to by federal government
8
Q
CASE STUDY: legalisation of marijuana
A
- The federal government argued that marijuana legalisation in California falls under federal jurisdiction, not state.
- In Gonzales v. Raich (2005), the Supreme Court ruled that Congress can regulate marijuana under the interstate commerce clause.
- Despite this ruling, Congress has not enacted national marijuana regulation, and President Obama chose not to intervene in state legalisations.
- State laws vary significantly, with some allowing recreational marijuana use and others treating it as a criminal offense.
