POLSC232: American Government

Watch this presentation on cooperative and fiscal federalism. While fiscal federalism has generated federal monies for states in various areas – agricultural, transportation, and research – some states are concerned about burdensome regulations and requirements. In recent years, we have seen a push to return power to the states (devolution), placing the burden of a wide range of domestic programs on state governments so they can design programs in a way that suits their residents.

The Democratic and Republican parties have different principles about federalism. Democrats prefer to have policies set by the national government. They opt for national standards for consistency across states and localities, often by attaching stringent conditions to the use of national funds. Most Republicans decry such centralization. They endorse giving powers to the states and reducing funding for the national government. These differences reveal divergent political ideologies on the "proper" role of government.