Unit 1 Day 8

1
Federalism Today

• Unit 1 Day 8Test Thursday.
• Objective
• analyze the balance of power between
• National and state governments

2
Current Political Climate

• States Rights supporters are generally
  conservative
• National Authority supporters generally liberal

3
Why National Authority?

• Government helps everyone
• Engine of changeCivil War Amendments, New Deal
  Programs
• War on Poverty under Pres. Lyndon Johnson (1960s)
• Currently Obamacare and Common Core education
  standards

4
Why States Rights?

• Preserve individual viewpoints
• Gay marriageconservative states recognize only
  one man-one woman
• Drug policymaintain different policies
• Compete for business
• Favorable tax rates
• Education policy

5
Shifting Party Allegiance

• New Federalism promoted by Nixon Republicans,
  they called it devolution of power back to
  states
• Liberal support of states rights on social
  issues, currently gay marriage, when they cant
  get enough national support

6
The Supreme Court Commerce Cases

• US v Lopez (1995) Gun-Free School Zones Act was
  ruled unconstitutional because it attempted to
  regulate an area that did not involve commerce
• Gonzales v Raich (2004) Argued that Controlled
  Substances Act should not be applied to
  intrastate commerce, specifically medical
  marijuana, decision favored natl control
  (nullified by recent laws)

7
Additional Constitutional Questions

• 10th Amendment Reserved Powers
• Printz v United States (Background checks before
  purchasing handguns) result - states cannot be
  compelled to administer or enforce a federal
  regulatory program
• 11th Amendment States cannot be sued for
  upholding Federal laws
• Discrimination caseshandicapped access, FMLA

8
Why do we care?

• Our Federal system promotes diversity among
  states
• Goodyou can choose to live where you like the
  policies known as Voting with your feet
• Baddiversity can be interpreted as inequality or
  unfairness such as different criminal codes or
  education funding

9
Class Discussion

• Federalism worksheet
• Keep as notes
• Potential Essay question compare a case of
  states rights with a case of strong federal
  power