Gov 3.txt

• 2+ levels of govt have formal authority over the same land
• System of shared power between govts

• All the power resides in the central govt
• Most used system in nations today

Interactions between the levels of gov't in a federal system

Article IV made Constitution, national laws, and treaties> state laws if nat'l gov't is within the Constitution

Any powers not prohibited for the states or expressly the nat'l gov't go to the states

• Requires every state to recognize official documents from courts of other states
• Drivers' licenses, marriage licenses

State officials from one state surrender the defendant to another state where the crime occurred

Citizens have similar rights in different states

State and nat'l gov't are supreme in their own areas and are responsible for separate policies

• Powers and policies are shared between the states and the nat'l govt
• Share cost, administration and blame for poor results

• Pattern of spending, taxing and providing grants
• Much of natl govt's interaction with state and local gov'ts

• Grants for specific purposes
• Come with strings attached

Awarded based on the merit of applications

Distributed according to a formula specified by legislation or regulation

Given automatically to support broad programs like social services or community development

• 1819 established supremacy of natl laws over state
• Congress has implied powers in addition to enumerated powers

• Powers of the federal govt addressed in the Constitution
• Coin money, impose taxes, etc.

• Powers of the federal govt that go beyond the Constitution
• All laws necessary and proper

Final paragraph allowing anything necessary and proper for Congress to carry out enumerated powers

• 1824 very broad interpretation of elastic clause regarding interstate commerce
• Virtually every form of commercial activity