Federalism and The States, Pt. IV

Down But Not Out: The Struggle Endures

Lecture by Larry Sabato
11 min

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• Audio mp3 – 7 MB

Summary:
While current federal-state tensions – focusing, as always, on money and power – demonstrate that states clearly have the weaker hand, for reasons both legal and cultural the states, as an institution, will endure.

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Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.

 

Federalism and The States, Pt. III

The Times, They are A-changin’: State Governments in the 1960s

Lecture by Larry Sabato
13 min

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• Quicktime – 42 MB
  
• Windows Media Video – 36 MB
• Audio mp3 – 9 MB

Summary:
In addition to mistakes that the federal government made, the country underwent some drastic changes in the 1960s that altered the composition of the electorate and the rules governing representation. Combined with the federal government’s paralysis from an enormous and ever growing budget deficit, this firmly planted the states in a more capable position to provide the citizens with what they needed.

Click here to answer essay questions about the podcast.

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Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.

 

Federalism and The States, Pt. II

The Capitols Capitalize: The Federal’s Loss is the States’ Gain

Lecture by Larry Sabato
21 min

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• Quicktime – 64 MB
  
• Windows Media Video – 55 MB
• Audio mp3 – 14 MB

Summary:
Beginning in the 1960s, the balance of power between the states and the federal government started to shift toward the states. This reversal is due, in part, to the states’ abilities to capitalize on a number of mistakes the federal government made that caused people to lose faith in its ability to understand and act upon domestic concerns.

Click here to answer essay questions about the podcast.

—

Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.

 

Federalism and The States, Pt. I

Now Batting for Federalism: The Supremacy Clause

Lecture by Larry Sabato
15 min

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• Quicktime – 44 MB
  
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• Audio mp3 – 10 MB

Summary:
Since the country’s founding, there have always been power struggles between the states and the federal government. The Civil War’s devastation of half the states and the federal government’s usurping of state powers in the New Deal are low points for state power, but other times in history see the balance of power shifting the other way. This long game of tug-of-war ensures that no one group will dominate.

Click here to answer essay questions about the podcast.

—

Larry Sabato is the founder and direction of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, a professor of politics, and a nationally renowned elections scholar.

 

Click here to email Professor Sabato.