Week Three: Week Three: Understanding Understanding

Eras of Federalism Eras of Federalism and Their and Their

Corresponding Corresponding IGRsIGRs

Questions Guiding the Questions Guiding the Evolution of the American Evolution of the American

Federal SystemFederal System What is the proper role of government?What is the proper role of government? How How

does this understanding vary across the levels does this understanding vary across the levels of government?of government?

When is federal encroachment into “state” When is federal encroachment into “state” matters an unconstitutional infringement on matters an unconstitutional infringement on state authoritystate authority ? ?

How do we recognize and/or address How do we recognize and/or address inequities in our political system?inequities in our political system?

How do federal-state relationships affect How do federal-state relationships affect actors’ ability to achieve their actors’ ability to achieve their political/economic goals?political/economic goals?

Features of Early Features of Early American Federal System American Federal System

and IGRsand IGRs Ambiguity of state governments Confederation: A system of

governance where subnational governments band together to create a national government to achieve specific common goals.

Weakness of the Articles of Confederation

Weakness of the Articles of Weakness of the Articles of ConfederationConfederation

““The failure of the Articles to give Congress The failure of the Articles to give Congress any power of ‘coercion’ over the states arose any power of ‘coercion’ over the states arose naturally ‘from a mistaken confidence that naturally ‘from a mistaken confidence that the justice, good faith, the honor, the sound the justice, good faith, the honor, the sound policy, of the several legislative assemblies policy, of the several legislative assemblies would render superfluous any appeal to the would render superfluous any appeal to the ordinary motives by which the laws secure ordinary motives by which the laws secure the obedience of individuals … a confidence the obedience of individuals … a confidence which does honor to the enthusiastic virtue which does honor to the enthusiastic virtue of the compilers, as much as the of the compilers, as much as the inexperience of the crisis apologizes for inexperience of the crisis apologizes for their errors.”their errors.” - - Rakove citing MadisonRakove citing Madison

Intergovernmental Intergovernmental Institutional Arrangements of Institutional Arrangements of

the Articlesthe Articles Assign ResponsibilityAssign Responsibility

Determine Accountability and Determine Accountability and PerformancePerformance

Define ParticipationDefine Participation

Degree to Which National Interest or Will Degree to Which National Interest or Will Can be ImposedCan be Imposed

Regulate the Flow of Information, Capital, Regulate the Flow of Information, Capital, and Population and Population

Questions Guiding the Questions Guiding the Evolution of the American Evolution of the American

Federal SystemFederal System What is the proper role of government?What is the proper role of government? How How

does this understanding vary across the levels does this understanding vary across the levels of government?of government?

When is federal encroachment into “state” When is federal encroachment into “state” matters an unconstitutional infringement on matters an unconstitutional infringement on state authoritystate authority ? ?

How do we recognize and/or address How do we recognize and/or address inequities in our political system?inequities in our political system?

How do federal-state relationships affect How do federal-state relationships affect actors’ ability to achieve their actors’ ability to achieve their political/economic goals?political/economic goals?

Features of Early Features of Early American Federal System American Federal System

and IGRsand IGRs Ambiguity of state governmentsAmbiguity of state governments Confederation:Confederation: A system of governance where A system of governance where

subnational governments band together to create a subnational governments band together to create a national government to achieve specific common goalsnational government to achieve specific common goals..

Weakness of the Articles of ConfederationWeakness of the Articles of Confederation Constitutional Convention sought to Constitutional Convention sought to

redefine IGRsredefine IGRs Senate, judicial review, enumeration of powersSenate, judicial review, enumeration of powers

Features of Early Features of Early American Federal System American Federal System

and IGRsand IGRs““The tension between levels of government The tension between levels of government was a product of conscious strategy. The was a product of conscious strategy. The Framers sought to . . . craft a government Framers sought to . . . craft a government strong enough to get things done but strong enough to get things done but equipped with built-in bulwarks against equipped with built-in bulwarks against excessive or unaccountable power. . . . The excessive or unaccountable power. . . . The coexistence of state and national coexistence of state and national governments, with neither able to dominate governments, with neither able to dominate the other, would offer a separate structural the other, would offer a separate structural safeguard against tyranny.” safeguard against tyranny.” -Donahue

Group AssignmentGroup Assignment Sort into groups of fourSort into groups of four Your task is to address the following:Your task is to address the following:

Identify the major intergovernmental decisions, Identify the major intergovernmental decisions, policies, and changes of your assigned erapolicies, and changes of your assigned era

Briefly describe the economic, political, social Briefly describe the economic, political, social context – how it was changing during your context – how it was changing during your assigned eraassigned era

Discuss the following as they relate to your Discuss the following as they relate to your assigned era:assigned era:

How was policy-making responsibility assigned?How was policy-making responsibility assigned? Did governmental accountability shift?Did governmental accountability shift? Were there any notable changes in participation?Were there any notable changes in participation? How easily could the national government impose its will?How easily could the national government impose its will?

Early Era, 1790-1930Early Era, 1790-1930

Dual Federalism: Dual Federalism: National and state National and state government are to operate independently government are to operate independently with separate jurisdictionwith separate jurisdiction

Intergovernmental CooperationIntergovernmental Cooperation Movement To Greater National Governmental Movement To Greater National Governmental

ActivityActivity White House Conference on Child Health; 16White House Conference on Child Health; 16thth

Amendment in 1916; Amendment in 1916; Regulating Economic ActivityRegulating Economic Activity Increasing governmental activism at all levelsIncreasing governmental activism at all levels Declining quality of subnational governanceDeclining quality of subnational governance Emergence of U.S. as a world powerEmergence of U.S. as a world power

President Madison, President Madison, March 1817March 1817

““I am not unaware of the great importance of I am not unaware of the great importance of roads and canals and the improved navigation of roads and canals and the improved navigation of water courses, and that a power in the National water courses, and that a power in the National Legislature to provide for them might be Legislature to provide for them might be exercised with signal advantage to the general exercised with signal advantage to the general prosperity. But seeing that such a power is not prosperity. But seeing that such a power is not expressly given by the Constitution, and expressly given by the Constitution, and believing that it cannot be deduced from any part believing that it cannot be deduced from any part of it without an inadmissible latitude of of it without an inadmissible latitude of construction and a reliance on insufficient construction and a reliance on insufficient precedents . . . I have no option but to withhold precedents . . . I have no option but to withhold my signature . . . ”my signature . . . ”

Early Era, 1790-1930Early Era, 1790-1930

Dual Federalism: Dual Federalism: National and state National and state government are to operate independently government are to operate independently with separate jurisdictionwith separate jurisdiction

Intergovernmental CooperationIntergovernmental Cooperation Movement To Greater National Governmental Movement To Greater National Governmental

ActivityActivity White House Conference on Child Health; 16White House Conference on Child Health; 16thth

Amendment in 1916; Amendment in 1916; Regulating Economic ActivityRegulating Economic Activity Increasing governmental activism at all levelsIncreasing governmental activism at all levels Declining quality of subnational governanceDeclining quality of subnational governance Emergence of U.S. as a world powerEmergence of U.S. as a world power

Cooperative FederalismCooperative Federalism

Cooperative efforts between the levels Cooperative efforts between the levels of government in order to advance of government in order to advance policy goals that meet the needs or policy goals that meet the needs or interests of the different levels of interests of the different levels of government, but which could not be government, but which could not be achieved by any one level of achieved by any one level of government acting alone due to government acting alone due to political, legal, administrative, and/or political, legal, administrative, and/or fiscal constraints.fiscal constraints.

New Deal Federalism: New Deal Federalism: 1930-19601930-1960

Turmoil of the Great DepressionTurmoil of the Great Depression Despite stronger national role – still Despite stronger national role – still

an element of state/local controlan element of state/local control Court-packing schemeCourt-packing scheme Expansion of federal activityExpansion of federal activity Dawn of “Cooperative Federalism”Dawn of “Cooperative Federalism”

Interdependent Federalism: Interdependent Federalism:

1960-19801960-1980 Expansion of IG AidExpansion of IG Aid

Categorical grantsCategorical grants Expansion of the American Social Expansion of the American Social

Welfare StateWelfare State Heavy Urban FocusHeavy Urban Focus Coordination = problematicCoordination = problematic

Functional Changes in Federal Functional Changes in Federal IG Aid, 1965 to 1969IG Aid, 1965 to 1969

Amount Amount 19651965

($ ($ millions)millions)

% of % of Total Total 19651965

Amount Amount 19691969

($ ($ millions)millions)

% of % of Total Total 19691969

Commerce Commerce and and TransportatioTransportationn

4,3864,386 40.240.2 4,7104,710 23.323.3

Housing and Housing and Cmmty Dev’tCmmty Dev’t

559559 5.15.1 1,6701,670 8.28.2

Education, Education, Health, Health, WelfareWelfare

(not pub asst)(not pub asst)

2,3012,301 21.121.1 8,5428,542 42.242.2

Nixon’s New FederalismNixon’s New Federalism

Management ReformsManagement Reforms Block GrantsBlock Grants Revenue SharingRevenue Sharing Family Assistance PlanFamily Assistance Plan

Means-tested Social Welfare Means-tested Social Welfare Spending Under Nixon (in Spending Under Nixon (in

millions)millions)19641964 19691969 19741974

Food StampsFood Stamps 3030 248248 2,8452,845

Child NutritionChild Nutrition 181181 237237 751751

MedicaidMedicaid 196196 2,1912,191 5,5495,549

Housing AssistanceHousing Assistance 193193 342342 1,7941,794

Functional Changes in Federal Functional Changes in Federal IG Aid, 1969 to 1977IG Aid, 1969 to 1977

Amount Amount 19691969

($ ($ millions)millions)

% of % of Total Total 19691969

Amount Amount 19771977

($ ($ millions)millions)

% of % of Total Total 19771977

Commerce Commerce and and TransportatioTransportationn

4,7104,710 23.323.3 8,3178,317 12.212.2

Natural Natural Resources Resources and and EnvironmentEnvironment

518518 2.62.6 4,1884,188 6.16.1

Education, Education, Health, Health, WelfareWelfare

8,5428,542 42.242.2 34,1134,1199

49.949.9

General IG General IG AidAid

267267 1.31.3 9,5929,592 14.014.0

Carter’s Approach to Carter’s Approach to FederalismFederalism

Economic Hardship = Big ConstraintEconomic Hardship = Big Constraint Concerns with Energy and Foreign Concerns with Energy and Foreign

Relations = DominantRelations = Dominant Many Reform Goals, Little ActionMany Reform Goals, Little Action

Target $ to poorest communitiesTarget $ to poorest communities Use public $ to stimulate private Use public $ to stimulate private

investmentinvestment Streamline grant and administrative Streamline grant and administrative

processesprocesses Exercise fiscal constraintExercise fiscal constraint

Trends in Public OpinionTrends in Public Opinion

19641964 19721972 19801980Can you trust the gov’t Can you trust the gov’t in Washington to do in Washington to do what’s right?what’s right?

(Ans. = Only some of the (Ans. = Only some of the time)time)

22%22% 42%42% 69%69%

People in government People in government waste a lot of the money waste a lot of the money we pay in taxes. (Ans. = we pay in taxes. (Ans. = Agree)Agree)

47%47% 66%66% 78%78%

The best government is The best government is the government that the government that governs least.governs least.

(Ans. = Agree)(Ans. = Agree)

---- 32%32% 59%59%

New Federalism: 1980-New Federalism: 1980-TodayToday

Reagan/BushReagan/Bush Reduce Federal RoleReduce Federal Role Consolidate Categorical GrantsConsolidate Categorical Grants Hand Responsibility for Social Programs to the Hand Responsibility for Social Programs to the

StatesStates Reduce Federal Regulatory RoleReduce Federal Regulatory Role Goal = Smaller Government at All LevelsGoal = Smaller Government at All Levels

ClintonClinton Some effort to devolve programs and reduce Some effort to devolve programs and reduce

unfunded mandatesunfunded mandates

Federal IG Aid Federal IG Aid by Area, 1980 to 1985by Area, 1980 to 1985

Program AreaProgram Area

Percentage Percentage ChangeChange

1980 to 19851980 to 1985

Community Development Community Development (economic development, urban (economic development, urban renewal)renewal)

-39.8%-39.8%

Education and Social Education and Social ServicesServices

-33.4%-33.4%

General Revenue SharingGeneral Revenue Sharing -49.1%-49.1%

The Clinton YearsThe Clinton Years

Some effort to devolve programs and Some effort to devolve programs and reduce unfunded mandatesreduce unfunded mandates TANF, Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, EO TANF, Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, EO

1313213132 Mixed outcomes – some devolution, some Mixed outcomes – some devolution, some

preemptionpreemption Congressional actionCongressional action Health Care ReformHealth Care Reform Advisory Commission on IGR (ACIR)Advisory Commission on IGR (ACIR) CrimeCrime

Readings for Next Readings for Next Week:Week:

Chapters Five and Six, Chapters Five and Six, The The State of the States,State of the States, Van Horn Van Horn

(pp. 77-142)(pp. 77-142)

Managing HHS Cuts case Managing HHS Cuts case (online)(online)