The U.S. Constitution in Five Minutes - Joseph L. Smith
8. What Can States Do?
The U.S. Constitution in Five Minutes - Joseph L. Smith
John D. Nugent [+]
Connecticut College
John D. Nugent is the director of institutional research and planning at Connecticut College in New London. His research has focused on how state officials influence federal policymaking.
Description
This essay gives an overview of the policy-making powers of state governments today, with many examples of state laws aimed at protecting their citizens' health, safety, and morals. While many people pay attention only to what the federal government does to try to fix public problems, state governments have always been involved in addressing these problems as well, and that continues today in many ways.