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How has federalism fared under President Obama? - Coggle Diagram
How has federalism fared under President Obama?
Financial Crisis
Obama expanded the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) 2009. Whilst still giving state governments some flexibility in designing their eligibility requirements.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimuilus spent on infastrucutre, education, health, enertgy and welfare.
$245bn in grants to state and local government
Bailouts were offered to General Motors after their collapse shortly after Obama took office.
Examples of Coercive Federalism under Obama
Medicaid
if states failed to expand Medicaid as required by the federal government then they would lose not just additional funding, but all of their federal Medicaid funding.
This was later deemed
unconstitutional
as by threatening to withold all of their Medicaid funding it effectively
forced
states to participate. If it wasn't forced then it wouldn't be unconstitutional.
Coercive federalism is where the federal government intervenes in matters that have long been left to the states, by attaching conditions to irresistiblt large grams that compelled the states to take certain actions.
As part of the Affordable Care Act their was a provision called the
Individual mandate
, which required most Americans to have health insurance or face a financial penalty.
This was only deemed constitutional because it was view as a tax, not the government forcing someone to buy something.
Designed to ensure that everyone participated in the health insurance market, including young and healthy people. This was crucial for keeping insurance premiums affordable.
The Obama administration saw large increases in federal government power and its size and scope. Such as large scale recovery efforts for the economy and bailouts.
Sometimes it offers states more funding and flexibility; sometimes it seeks to constrain, guide, or direct state policy and budget decisions towards central government views.
However, whilst this looks like a large increase in the scope and power of the federal government, Obama has allowed states to pursue their own policy goals.
California was allowed to introduce pollution permits for business.
DOJ stated they would not pursue marijuana in states which had legalised it.
Colorado allowed to legalise cannabis for recreational use.
These policies were only allowed when it suited Obama and fitted within his wider policy agenda.