hot topic | FEDERALISM TASK FORCE
Seeking ‘A More Perfect Union’
Federal-State Relationship Strained and It Could Get Worse
by Jennifer Ginn
The situation is bad between federal and state governments and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get better anytime soon. The Council of State Governments’ Focus on Federalism Task Force conducted its first meeting in September at CSG’s 2013 National Conference with a hearing focused on how intergovernmental relations have gotten so bad and what can be done about it. The task force is a two-year effort of CSG to “explore options for repairing the relationships between state and federal governments,” said Alaska Sen. Gary Stevens, CSG’s 2013 chair. “State-based innovation, unfortunately, is being impacted increasingly and seriously by a growing web of federal policies and regulations,” Stevens said. “Our goal with this initiative is not to advocate for something predetermined. … Instead, we want CSG to serve as an open forum. It will be member driven; we want to learn from the experts.”
How We Got Here
John Kincaid, a professor of government and public service and director of the Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, said state and federal governments coexisted peacefully without much interaction for much of the
“I think until we solve that polarization problem, it’s going to be very difficult to solve the federalism issue.” —John Kincaid, director, Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government, Lafayette College
CAPITOL IDEAS
» NOV / DEC 2013
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WEDGE ISSUES A PROBLEM Former Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening, CSG’s 2002 chair, said Washington must get away from using issues such as immigration and the Affordable Care Act as a wedge to widen the gulf between the parties. He spoke during the 2013 CSG National Conference in Kansas City, Mo. Glendening said the country needs a more civil, bipartisan dialogue about how to solve the challenges it faces. Photo by David Eulitt
