- Federalism is a decentralizing force in American politics and practically guarantees conflict between the national and state governments. Throw local governments into the mix and the conflict multiplies. Conflict doesn't just exist between the national and state governments, but between states as well. And conflict also occurs between the state and local governments - we won't hitting this point that hard in the slides, but we might discuss the occasional story about it here and there.
- Try to memorize the definitions of nation, state, city and county.
- Remember that the national government was established by representative of the different states, and that the US Constitution is full of clauses which highlight the position of states within the federal system. It also establishes the guarantees the national government has to the states and their obligations to each other. Much of Articles 4 and 6 of the US Constitution deal with this, as well as key parts of Article One.
- There was a great of debate in the constitutional convention and the ratification period over the level of autonomy states ought to have in the federal system. This continues to this day. It is crucial to understand the source of this dispute.
- You should focus on the nature of the policies states are given specific control over in the US Constitution. The notes focus on the design of the Senate, suffrage and election laws and the 10th Amendments.
- I have to point out that the material on the Voting Rights Act has to be modified due to the recent ruling in Shelby v. Holder. Expect some modifications soon, but don't stress over them. This is one of the consequences of taking a government class. Things change.
- Be familiar with the reserved, implied, delegated and denied powers. The inherent powers also. Be especially familiar with the conflict over the implied powers, those that rest on the elastic clauses. These have had a major impact on national and state relations, you should try to understand what and how.
- Know the stages of federalism and the steps that marked the change from one to the next. What factors led to the increase of national power? What kinds of reactions have resulted in Texas? How have conservatives especially tried to push back against national power over the states. Understanding this helps explain a lot of what's in the news.
I hope this overview clarifies what's in this section. I'll do the same for the one on political culture.
