William_T._Bianco,_David_T._Canon]_American_Polit

94 Chapter 3Chapter 3 || Federa lismFedera lism

Assessing Federalism

There is much to recommend federalism as a cornerstone of our political system.

However, there are disadvantages as well, such as inefficiency in the policy process and

inequality in policy outcomes. This section will assess the advantages, disadvantages,

and ideological complexities of federalism.

Policy Preferences

Issues concerning federalism often seem to break down along traditional liberal

and conservative lines. Liberals generally favor strong national power to fight

discrimination against women, minorities, disabled people, gay men and lesbians,

and the elderly, and they push for progressive national policies on issues such as

protecting the environment, providing national health care, and supporting the

poor. Conservatives, in contrast, tend to favor limited intrusion from the national

government and allowing the states to decide their own mix of social welfare and

regulatory policies, including how aggressively they will protect various groups from

discrimination. In this way, individuals’ feelings about federalism are connected

to their policy preferences and their judgments about what kinds of policies should

emerge from different levels of government.

However, assessing the implications of having policies carried out by one level of

government or another is not always so simple. In recent years the tables have turned,

and in many cases liberals are suddenly arguing for states’ rights while conservatives

are advocating the virtues of uniform national laws. On a broad range of new issues,

such as gay rights, aid in dying, and the recreational use of marijuana (see the Take

a Stand feature), some state governments are passing socially liberal legislation.^24

Thus, liberals who might have favored a strong national government as a way of

implementing their policy goals might find themselves arguing for states’ rights, and

conservatives might find themselves arguing for the virtues of centralizing power.

Advantages of a Strong Role for the States

In addition to pointing out the policy implications of federalism, any assessment of

federalism today must consider the advantages and disadvantages for our political

system. The advantages of a strong role for the states can be summarized in four main

points: (1) states can be laboratories of democracy, (2) state and local government is

closer to the people, (3) states provide more access to the political system, and (4) states

provide an important check on national power.

The first point refers to the role that states can play as the source of policy diversity

and innovation. If many states are trying to solve problems creatively, their efforts

can complement those of the national government. Successful policies first adopted

at the state level often percolate up to the national level. Consider health care. Many

provisions of Obamacare were taken from the highly successful state-level program in

Massachusetts. Similarly, climate change initiatives emerging in California and other

states may provide templates for federal action in the future.

Second, government that is closer to the people can encourage participation in the

political process and may be more responsive to local needs. Local politicians know

[A] state may, if its citizens

choose, serve as a laboratory;

and try novel social and

economic experiments without

risk to the rest of the country.

—Justice Louis Brandeis, 1932

One of the strengths of federalism

is that it allows regional diversity

to flourish. Green Bay Packers fans

proudly wear their cheesehead hats

at Lambeau Field, showing that what

passes for normal behavior in one

part of the country would be viewed

differently in other areas.

ANALYZE THE ARGUMENTS

FOR AND AGAINST A STRONG

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

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