Federalism: Increase In Federal Mandates

Over the last twenty-five years, federalism has transformed due to the increase in federal mandates on state and local governments. Federalism refers to a political system in which there are local units of government, as well as a national government, that can make final decisions with respect to at least some governmental activities, and whose existence is protected. When the Framers devised this political system their goal was to protect personal liberty and create a separation of powers. Over the years, federalism 's goal of decentralization evolved giving states more leeway. Mandates, however, have in a way, increased federal power, imposing requirements and/or conditions for obtaining federal grants. These mandates provided federal restrictions on states ' economic actions and have served the former purpose of protecting personal liberties because they usually concern civil rights and environmental protection. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, for example, shows how federalism has changed and how mandates have augmented the regulation of state and local governments ' actions.

Mandates created a new form of a "check" on state governmental activities. Mandates increased federal supremacy because they were mandatory. They take the form of regulatory statutes. The Americans with Disabilities
If the mandate were removed, the federal government wouldn 't have as much power to control how federal money was spent. States wouldn 't be pressured into passing legislation that benefit a certain group. In addition, those who benefited from the mandate, the disabled, would not be treated equally since there would no longer be handicap access in public places. The removal of mandates affects the federal-state relations in that it decentralizes the government more and diminishes whatever authority the federal government has over the state