Which level of the U.S. government should be the most powerful: national or state?

Sep 8

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

According to the data from the table above, as of 2016 what portion of Americans favored the concentration of power in state government instead of federal government?
Describe one trend (change over time) in the data above.
Where do you think the power should be concentrated?
Explain where you think the power is concentrated?
America has a federal system of government where power is divided between the national (federal) government and state and local governments. Why were many colonial Americans fearful of too much power being concentrated in a single place?
Federalism is the division of power between national and state government. Think of a current issue in America that involves federal versus state power (abortion rights, or marijuana legalization, for example). Make a claim explaining whether the concentration of power should be in state government or federal government.
When the Framers wrote The United States Constitution (signed in convention September 17, 1787. Ratified June 21, 1788), they were very concerned about the balance of power between state and federal government. There were two main factions or groups at the National Constitutional Convention. The Federalists supported the ratification of the Constitution which created a strong national government. The Anti-Federalists were opposed to the ratification of the Constitution because they were wary of a tyrannical central government which they worried would infringe on individual liberties. They preferred for power to be concentrated at the state level. Imagine the question about state versus federal power was asked to a leading Anti-Federalist in 1787. Based on your knowledge of American political history, explain how an Anti-Federalist, like Robert Yates, the author of Brutus 1, would have answered this question.
Explain how The U.S. Constitution’s 10th Amendment "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." (ratified 1791) impacts the balance of power between state and federal governments.
Since Donald J. Trump came to office in January 2025, in some ways governmental power has shifted. For example, on one hand Trump has deployed national guard troops and ICE against the will of California, Minnesota, and Washington D.C. On the other hand he has also decimated departments like the Education Department and agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (F.E.M.A.), promising to return control to states and local entities. Overall, how would you say the balance of governmental power has shifted?
According the visual below* in 2016 when Barack Obama was president, Democrats favored by a margin of almost 2 to 1, for power to be concentrated at the federal level. On the other hand, at the same time, Republicans by an even wider margin preferred power to be concentrated at the state level. Some would say that a person’s feelings about where power should be is mostly a matter of what party controls the presidency. Explain how the data in the table has probably changed since the Trump presidency.

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

Think of a current issue in America that involves federal versus state power. Contact one of your U.S. legislators (one of the two senators who represent your state, or the one House member that represents your congressional district) and let them know what you think the federal government should do about it. Then contact one of your state representatives and let them know what you think the state should do about it.