American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

82 CHAPTER 3|FEDERALISM

Third, our federalist system provides more potential paths to address problems.

For example, the court system allows citizens to pursue complaints under either

state or federal law. Likewise, cooperative federalism can draw on the strengths of

diff erent levels of government to solve problems.

Finally, federalism provides a check on national tyranny. Competitive federal-

ism ensures that Americans have a broad range of social policies, levels of taxation

a nd reg u lat ion , a nd publ ic ser v ices to choose f rom (see Fi g u re 3. 2). W hen people “ vote

with their feet” by deciding whether to move and where to live, they encourage healthy

competition among states that would be impossible under a unitary government.

DISADVANTAGES OF TOO MUCH STATE POWER

A balanced assessment must acknowledge that there are problems with a feder-

alist system that gives too much power to the states. The disadvantages include

unequal distribution of resources across the states, unequal protection for civil

rights, and competitive federalism that produces a “race to the bottom.”

One problem of giving too much responsibility to the states is the huge varia-

tion in the distribution of resources. Without federal funding, poor states sim-

ply cannot provide an adequate level of benefi ts because they have the greatest

needs (see Figure 3.3a) but the lowest incomes (see Figure 3.3b)—a situation that

leads to signifi cant disparities in important areas such as public education. The

resource problem becomes more acute in dealing with national-level problems

Source: Current Population Survey, 2011 Annual Social and Economic Supplement, http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/cpstables/032011/pov/new46_100125_01
.htm (accessed 8/17/12).

POVERTY RATES BY STATE, 2010

There are huge diff erences between the wealthiest states and the poorest states in terms of their income levels and poverty
rates. What do these disparities imply about the role of the national government in terms of supporting a “social safety
net”? How do recent developments in federalism support or undermine the notion of a social safety net?

FIGURE » 3.3A

NV MI KSORILMTIDRISDMEAKNDPACOHIDEWAVTMDVANJMAMNIANEUTWIWYCTNH

U.S. average

NMAZTXKYNCALSC TN AR OH MO

Percentage Below Poverty Line

MSLADCGA WV

5

10

15

20

25

CAINOKNYFL