The states and federalism discussion examines whether or not the federal government wields too much power over the state government. This argument has been going on since the creation of the United States in the 1700s. It started when the states were attempting to replace the Articles of Confederation with a more efficient plan.
The argument began between the federalists and anti-federalists over whether or not there should be a stronger central government. The federalists supported the ratification of the constitution while the anti-federalists disagreed. The federalists wanted more power for bigger states and proposed the Virginia Plan, which called for a stronger central government and power based on population. The anti-federalists proposed the New Jersey plan, which planned to reinforce the Articles of Confederation instead of replacing them, with each state having the same power. The Great Compromise of the two sides resulted in a bicameral legislature being formed. Congress was separated into two houses: the House of Representatives and the Senate. All legislation must pass through both the houses, so that neither large nor small states could have more power at the expense of the other.
[...] The issue is not just whether or not the federal government should have the power over the states, but on which policies the federal government should have the final supremacy. One of the ways the federal government attempts to have to state government comply by their laws is through a categorical grant. The federal government requires many precise directions to be followed in certain policy areas, and if they are followed federal money is released for these purposes. The theory on the interaction between federal and state government was long described as dual federalism, which thought of both federal and state governments as two separate parts that each had supreme law in its area of power. [...]
[...] States and Federalism: Who should have more power the state or federal government? The states and federalism discussion involves whether or not the federal government has too much power over the state government. The argument has been going on since the creation of the United States in the 1700s. It started when the states were attempting to replace the Articles of Confederation with a more efficient plan. The argument began between the federalists and anti-federalists over whether or not there should be a stronger central government. [...]
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