Balanced Federalism

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Debates over how the division of powers between the states and federal government should be handled have been predominant from the very beginning. The founders understood that this decision would have an enduring influence on the types of policies implemented along with how the impact would be felt by the citizens. This would all be dependent on if the laws were coming from Washing D.C. or the state capitals (Barbour and Wright, 78). In light of this the founders established the United States government based on a fair division of powers between Federal and State governments as highlighted in the constitution and tenth amendment. However, in the past few years I believe the country has shifted towards giving more power to the federal government. In this paper I argue that despite the current transition towards a strong centralized government a balanced system based on the federalism intended by founders is the best option for the distribution of power. A division of powers between the states and the federal government creates a system that is better equipped to serve the necessities of its populaces. Each state has different needs and traditions from the other. Considering these differences moral pluralism should come into play in a federalist system as explained by Jonathan Rauch. Moral pluralism provides states the power to reach their own judgments regarding matters where there is a lack of national moral consensus (Rauch, 104). For instance, states would be divided in options over topics that deal with sensitive subjects like abortion and gay marriage. Another concept explained by Rauch as a positive aspect of federalism for the states is that of experimentation. In experimentation states employ different policies based ... ... middle of paper ... ...en to emerge. In conclusion, a system based on balanced federalism was originally envisioned by the founders and serves as the best option for an efficient government. It is essential for the powers to be distributed in a manner where states deal with state matters and the national government does not overstep its role as the organizational factor in the system. As for the recent shift towards a central government one can only hope that the nation takes caution as it proceeds and that power transfers back to equilibrium between the federal and state governments. Works Cited "26 States Join Suit Against Obama Health Law." Fox News . http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/18/states-join-obama-health-care-lawsuit-fla/ (accessed November 18, 2011). McClenaghan, William A., and Frank Abbott Magruder. Magruder's American government. Boston, Mass.: Pearson, 2010.

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