Federalism

American Gov 101 Federalism Today I. Grants Today, the clearest exercise of federalism, and a chief tool in the expansion of federal power, is the grant system. There are 3 kinds of grants: a. Categorical Grant: A grant for a specific project which must be approved and reviewed by the federal government. b. Block Grant: A grant for a general function (health, law enforcement, etc.) These grants have some conditions and reporting requirements. They are distributed on …

…revenue sharing. States not enthusiastic because end-result was often increased responsibility (and expectations) of the local government while there was a reduction in funding to local governments. III. Current Issues: Preemption--related to supremacy clause Unfunded mandates--When the national government requires that the states do something but does not give them the funds to do it. Examples:  School desegregation  Minimum Drinking Age  Minimum Wage Laws National Limitation of state freedoms:  Abortion Rights  Term Limits ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**