What is the difference between national government and state government

Every nation is governed by its own form of government. The federal government and state government both are equally important for the balanced functioning of the nation. The federal government legislates the whole nation while the powers of state government are limited within the boundaries of its state but eventually, they work together for the growth and development of the nation.

In a nutshell, we can conclude that both of these governments are regulated and operated based on some specific powers and responsibilities which are provided to each one of them.

Skip to content For every nation, the government always holds power to regulate and legislate the functioning of the nation. The federal government legislates and operates nationwide. The national government can do things that the states cannot and the states can do things that the national government cannot. The list below compares the powers of national and state governments.

However, there are some powers that both governments share concurrently, such as:. The separation of powers between the state and federal government is not clear cut and leads to tensions and disputes between the different levels of government. The creation of time zones and daylight saving time and current government responses to the COVID pandemic are two revealing historical examples of those tensions.

In the first example, the federal government acted, but many states and local communities were reluctant to comply; in the second instance, the state governments acted, but the federal government was, in many instances, not willing to support those decisions. On August 29, , 16 years to the day after Hurricane Katrina, another enormous storm - Hurricane Ida - slammed into New Orleans and southern Louisiana.

They moved ambulances and search and rescue teams into the area and opened shelters. Another government group, the Army Corps of Engineers, mobilized personnel to remove debris and to provide temporary roofing and housing Heather Cox Richardson, Letters from an American, August 30, Other areas were not so fortunate as wind and flooding destroyed basic infrastructure, leaving thousands without food, water, or power.

That same summer, in the western United States, federal and state government agencies including FEMA and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were engaged in trying to contain the huge square mile Caldor wildfire that caused evacuations of residents and tourists from the Lake Tahoe area.

Firefighting crews were using snow-making machines to try to moisten the ground to slow the spread of the flames. As these events illustrate, state and local governments now play an increasing role in preparing for and responding to natural and human-caused disasters in this time of climate change with its accompanying severe weather and extreme events.

Power grid failures in Texas, a huge apartment building collapse in Florida, cyber-attacks on computer systems, and oil spills all include human failures resulting in devastating impacts on the natural environment. Any disaster has the potential to generate what the U. In the event of a disaster, local governments are the first responders and if they are overwhelmed by the situation, state governments are next to respond.

When a state government is overwhelmed, it turns to the federal government for aid and assistance. Historically, many of the worst disasters are due to a mix of natural and human causes, resulting in a combination of environmental and societal impacts. In the s, overfarming combined with severe drought on the American Great Plains resulted in the Dust Bowl, leaving some , people homeless while 2.

Political scientists have noted that unlike in the past when people tended to ban together in a time of need, disasters today reflect the partisan polarization and division of American politics.

Conservative politicians have resisted using government resources, telling people to be self-reliant in a time of crisis while avoiding involvement from state or federal agencies seeking to provide aid. What potential disasters are facing communities where you live?

How well do you think your community is prepared to handle a disaster as opposed to neighboring communities? What changes in the natural world have you observed that require more planning and preparation in the case of extreme events?

What recommendations would you make to state and local governments to address potential disasters? For the first half of United States history, time was measured locally by the position of the sun in the sky. The rise of the railroads forced a change in how time was measured and communicated.

Trains needed to run on fixed schedules so engineers would know where other trains were on the same tracks. Interestingly, time zones did not become a federal law until the passage of the S tand ard Time Act of With that legislation, the regulation of time zones became a function or power of the federal government and not a matter of state or local control. With time zones came the concept of Daylight Saving Time which was instituted and repealed more than once between and There was federally-mandated daylight saving time for 7 months in and and again during World War II.

There was no federal law about time between and The Uniform Time Act of created daylight saving time across the nation, except for the states of Arizona and Hawaii that did not adopt it. In , 32 states are now considering moving to permanent Daylight Saving Time track state daylight saving time legislation here. One historian has connected the push for more daylight saving time to corporate desires to sell products that Americans can use during the extra hours of afternoon daylight Downing, Time zones and Daylight Saving Time are just one of many areas where the powers of federal and state governments may overlap and potentially conflict.

Currently there are state and federal disputes over responses to the COVID pandemic, health care the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare , education the Common Core , environmental regulations including air pollution standards, immigration policies and sanctuary laws, selling of federal lands, and coastal state rights to submerged lands and their natural resources, to name just a few.

Each can be studied as examples of the evolving relationship between federal and state governments. New York Public Radio. This activity can be adapted and used for in-person, fully online, and blended learning formats. He or she has the option of either signing it and creating law or vetoing it, in which case it would not become law.

There is also the option of not signing it and not vetoing it. If this happens, the bill becomes law anyway after a specified amount of time. State laws typically go through a similar process, but can vary slightly depending upon which state is creating the law.

As there are 50 individual states with their own process plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, there is much room for variations. Most of the state laws are based upon the common law of England, with Louisiana being the exception, as they base their state law upon French and Spanish law. Aside from these, other attempts typically fail. Difference Between Federal and State Government. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. MLA 8 Roehrich, Rikki.

You really have a very nice and good website anything I search for I do find the accurate answer and it is always correct. Name required. Email required. Please note: comment moderation is enabled and may delay your comment. There is no need to resubmit your comment. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Federal laws are rules that apply throughout the United States. These laws apply in every state, such as:.

There are 50 states and several commonwealths and territories within the United States. Each has its own system of laws and courts that handle:. There are different counties, cities, municipalities, towns, townships and villages in each state, commonwealth or territory.

Some of them have their own system of laws and courts that handle:. Looking for more information on this topic? Visit LawHelp.