Week 2 Blog 1

Pol 51                                                         Clarice Noziere

Winter 2023

Professor Brandle 

                                                                          Chapter 3

        The Constitution of the United States established a federal government with three branches -- Executive, Legislative, and Judicial -- to create a system of checks and balances and separate the powers of government. This system is known as federalism, as it combines a general government along with regional governments, such as state and provincial governments. Through federalism, the powers is shared and not concentrated in one place. This ensures the laws and bills passed are in the best interests of the citizens and that all changes can be properly discussed and agreed upon. Federalism is essential to how the United States runs, and without it, our country would run much differently.

    The federal system is a vital part of the United States' government, serving an important role in maintaining a balance between the federal government and the state governments. At the time, the federal government was designed to be relatively weak, with decisions made mostly by independent states. Unfortunately, this created challenges, as the federal government lacked the authority to deploy the army or collect taxes. To address this issue, the elastic clause was added, granting the federal government more power to tackle challenges that couldn't be solved by the various states. At the same time, the Supreme Court was given the ultimate governing power, allowing it to supersede state laws when federal laws were in effect. 

        Perhaps the ideal of the federal government's power was during the era of President Roosevelt, when Congress and the Supreme Court collaborated to expand the authority of the federal government. It was during this time that people started to recognize the vital role that the federal system played, allowing the states to be self-sufficient while still respecting the law of the land. The federal system has proven to be a necessary part of the United States government, and has remained essential for over two centuries.