NATIONAL VERSUS STATE GOVERNMENT
The United States is a federal government. Federalism is a system of governance where power is shared between the national government and the states. Separation and definition of powers help in the smooth running of the federal republic. Some controls are exclusive, and others concurrent. Exclusive powers are those powers that are reserved for the national government or the states, while concurrent powers refer to the shared mandates.
The federal government has the exclusive powers to carry out foreign affairs, to coin money, regulating interstate and international trades. The federal government is also tasked with raising and maintaining armed forces, declaring war, determining the rules governing naturalization, and establishing inferior courts. The states, on the other hand, have the power to conduct elections, give consent to constitutional amendments, provide safety, public welfare and health, regulating trades within the states, and establishing local governments. Both States and the national government share the power to borrow money, law-making, taking land for public use, giving banks and corporations permission to operate, taxation, and establishing courts (“The Constitution of the United States,” 2019). Despite having exclusive and concurrent powers, there is a supremacy law. Under the supremacy law, state courts must abide by the supreme law, and in the event of a conflict between federal law and state law, the federal law then takes the precedence.
Texas adopted different taxing mechanisms compared to California. Texas imposes low taxes and creates a favorable environment for job creators. As a result, the unemployment rates in Texas have reduced since jobs are consistently being created as compared to its counterpart, California. California, on the other hand, has a high taxation rate (Moretti & Wilson, 2017). Unfavorable policies in California have also made people migrate from that state. Texas has also invested in education compared to its counterpart, California. Texas has employed more education staff compared to California, which has more bureaucrats. The two states vary in their policy formulations and implementations.
States are independent, and each state formulates its policies depending on its vision. However, the national or federal government acts as the umbrella body to these states. The federal laws are supreme, and states follow guidelines provided by the federal laws.
References
The Constitution of the United States. (2019). Retrieved 17 September 2019, from https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution
Moretti, E., & Wilson, D. J. (2017). The Effect of State Taxes on the Geographical Location of Top Earners: Evidence from Star Scientists. American Economic Review, 107(7), 1858–1903. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20150508