Cooperative federalism is the concept that refers to how national, state, and local governments cooperate to solve problems and create policies. Cooperative federalism emphasizes the overlap of responsibilities and powers between state and local governments and the federal government. The United States moved away from dual federalism, an arrangement that divides powers between the national and state governments so that they work individually, and toward cooperative federalism in the 1930s in response to the Great Depression[1]. Cooperative federalism applies to the legislative and executive (not the judicial) branches of government and can be observed in various government activities. According to an article in The Hill[2] titled “Maintaining Cooperation in Cooperative Federalism,” cooperative federalism has benefits for both national and state governments. These benefits include improving federal-state relations and allowing citizens to reap the benefits of state innovation. Even though political systems are constantly changing and evolving, cooperative federalism is still implemented in many ways by the current government. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Cooperative federalism is seen in the United States legislature passing bills and creating laws. During the Great Depression, the federal government began to gain power. In response to this, a new approach to government interaction called The New Deal[3] implemented several national programs that forced the federal government to work with state and local governments to implement the new policies. When state and federal legislatures work together to solve a problem, the federal government typically sets goals to achieve and states are allowed to address those goals in any way they decide, provided the goals are met. The federal government only intervenes in this process when the objectives are not achieved, in which case it is authorized to modify the existing approach. Cooperative efforts by federal and state legislatures have recently been seen in government areas such as education and environmental protection. For example, the federal government provides funding and sets certain criteria for school systems, while each school board is allowed to choose its curriculum and teacher qualifications. This cooperation between the federal and state governments allows states to feel empowered by giving them freedom of choice. In addition to its place within the legislative branch, cooperative federalism is also present within the executive branch of government. Federal government grants work collaboratively with states to enforce certain laws and states are allowed to take their own approach. Law enforcement is an example of how cooperative federalism is used with the executive branch. For example, the federal and state governments cooperate to enforce laws such as drug laws. Both levels of government are held responsible for enforcing these laws using federal agents and local police. Local police play an important role in law enforcement in the United States, demonstrating how the federal andstate can unite to achieve the same objective. States are empowered by this aspect of cooperative federalism because they have the authority to act under federal law. Although there are examples of cooperation between state and federal governments, there is also evidence that supports that the federal government still has unequal power over the states. Although states have the authority to set their own law enforcement rules and implement policies in their own ways, federal governments generally provide an important source of funding for state activities. This sometimes leads states to feel that the federal government is still controlling them in a way that is not cooperative. Although the federal government provides funding to states, it is often regulated by the federal government so that states must follow certain guidelines to obtain funding. While this seems necessary to ensure that federal money is used in the most efficient way possible, it in some sense limits the power of the states. Cooperation can be viewed in different ways and in the United States, although state and local governments act cooperatively, the federal government remains more powerful in many ways. When it comes to cooperation in state and local activities, there are many instances where the state and federal government must come together to produce activities that benefit citizens. They do this by creating guidelines and setting goals to achieve, then creating budgets for these activities. When the objectives of the activities are decided by the state, they are presented to the federal government in order to obtain funding. The national government will then decide whether or not to fund these activities through grants. Grants are financial assistance provided by the government to finance activities and programs. There are different types of federal grants, including categorical grants and block grants. Categorical grants are grants that can only be used for a specific purpose. The majority of federal aid to state governments comes in the form of categorical grants. Block grants can be used for a wide range of general government services rather than specific programs. With block grants, state and local governments are allowed to use their own discretion in how funds are allocated with very little interference from the federal government. These subsidies are much less likely. When state and local governments receive these grants, they can do things like repair roads, implement new education programs, and fund social assistance in their areas. The federal government plays its role in ensuring that programs achieve the objectives they are intended to achieve and that funding is used effectively. This is an example of how federal, state, and local governments cooperate with each other to achieve their goals. Cooperative federalism was established so that the federal government would not become too powerful and the states would not lose their individual authority. The federal government cooperates with state governments to achieve goals and bring about improvements in the country for the citizens. The preceding paragraph mentions how states request funding from the federal government for their activities and programs, which is one way states can cooperate with the federal government...