Federalism and Pandemics: A National Teachable Moment
鈥淓mergencies are crucibles that contain and reveal the daily, slower burning problems of medicine and beyond 鈥� our vulnerabilities; our trouble grappling with uncertainty, how we die, how we prioritize and divide what is most precious and vital and limited鈥︹��
Sheri Fink, Five Days at Memorial: LIfe and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital听
As a non-partisan provider of civic education dedicated to 鈥渟trengthening the capacities of the American people for constitutional self-government,鈥� the and 澳门六合彩开奖直播 sponsors seminars in which teachers examine the story of America鈥檚 past by studying original documents. Federalism is not an especially popular topic for these seminars. It is difficult to understand. It is challenging to teach. Perhaps that is because the dividing line between state and federal powers, never distinct, has been blurred over time.
Yet because matters of public health have historically been assigned to the states under their broad police power, federalism is now being tested鈥撯�揳nd the stakes are life and death. Covid-19 has engaged the United States in a large-scale social and medical experiment designed to 鈥渇latten the curve鈥� by slowing the disease鈥檚 spread through the population. The goal is to reduce hospitalizations of Covid-19 victims so that medical staff are not overwhelmed, supplies are not exhausted, nor patients needing ventilators left without them. Hopefully, the experiment will be successful, and we will not see hospitals rationing ICU beds or ventilators.
How should we apply federalism鈥檚 principles when pandemics do not recognize state borders? What role, if any, should the federal government play in planning for disasters, responding to disasters when they occur, or assisting states recovering from a disaster鈥檚 economic impact?
This is a national teachable moment: when the crisis has passed, we will look back on mistakes made and lessons learned. Will we apply the right lessons with wisdom and prudence?
Issues of federalism have plagued our politics since the colonial era. Those drafting our constitution in 1787 understood that Parliament鈥檚 inability to envision shared sovereignty 鈥渉ad torn the British Empire apart 鈥� and had bedeviled America鈥檚 first efforts鈥� to create a limited constitutional government鈥︹�� with the doomed Articles of Confederation.[1]
Some see federalism as a strength in coping with Covid-19. They see 鈥渢he best of both worlds: a coherent policy for the entire country that is simultaneously flexible for local contingencies.鈥�[2] Advocates of federalism find outcomes where 鈥渟ome states may initially suffer while others succeed鈥� as an acceptable consequence of a flexible governmental disaster response.[3] New York is not Wyoming; Florida is not Northern Idaho. A one-size-fits all solution won鈥檛听 work for an event with a national impact, in the view of federalism鈥檚 supporters.
Critics of federalism see unequal outcomes as morally unacceptable: 鈥渁 major weakness in the federalist system of public health governance.鈥� Allowing states control of the crisis response results in uncoordinated efforts. One state鈥檚 slow response may unnecessarily cost lives in other states. Critics argue that a national response is more efficient and cost-effective in public health emergencies.
Pandemics present unique challenges to the delicate balance the framers struck between state and national authority. Pandemics impact a much larger geographic area than tornadoes, hurricanes, or forest fires. The risk of illness and death from a novel airborne virus arrives in invisible air currents, slowly picking its victims. No one is immune, yet some are mysteriously spared. After a violent storm, neighbors often share food, drinks, and fellowship. Waiting for a pandemic to pass, neighbors withdraw from fellowship. Charitable organizations cannot mobilize without a means to protect their employees and volunteers from contracting the virus. Pandemics divide us: political divisions deepen.
Behind our current argument over the proper pandemic response lies a longstanding disagreement over federalism. When this crisis passes, students will likely ask their teachers to explain the responses to the pandemic by state, local, and national governments. Though they may not know the term federalism, they will ask: Why was California鈥檚 response different from Georgia鈥檚? Why didn鈥檛 the president order a nationwide shutdown? Why was it left to the call of individual state governors to shut down and reopen their states鈥� schools and businesses as they saw fit? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the federalist system?
Here are just a few examples of primary source documents teachers can find on our website, teachingamericanhistory.org, that help teach the constitutional roots of federalism.
- 听 June 8, 1787 debate at the Constitutional Convention on a proposal by Charles Pinckney and James Madison to grant Congress veto power over state legislation. Teachers can help students analyze why Pinckney and Madison proposed what we view today as a radical departure from the principle of federalism.
- 听 June 21, 1787 鈥� debate on federalism as听 Convention delegates continue to deliberate the division of authority between state and national governments.
- 听 Federalist 45, in which James Madison analyzes the extent to which powers granted to the national legislature 鈥渨ill be dangerous to the portion of authority left in the several States.鈥�
- 听 Brutus I: The antifederalist, Brutus, questions 鈥溾��, whether the thirteen United States should be reduced to one great republic, governed by one legislature, and under the direction of one executive and judicial; or whether they should continue thirteen confederated republics, under the direction and control of a supreme federal head for certain defined national purposes only?鈥� He concludes that ratifying the Constitution will result in one consolidated government.
- 听 Stephen A Douglas: The Dividing Line Between Federal and Local Authority 鈥� Douglas disputes Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party鈥檚 contention that Congress had the authority to regulate slavery in the territories.
After this crisis, TAH will continue to partner with local school districts and historical organizations, hosting our One-Day Seminars for social studies teachers. These seminars provide an opportunity for teachers to explore themes, events and concepts, like federalism, in American history and self-government through the study of original historical documents. We hope you will be able to join us at a seminar near you very soon!
[1] Amar, Akhil Reed, America鈥檚 Constitution: A Biography, p. 105
[2] See 鈥淧andemic proves the wisdom of federalism鈥� by Jay Cost, The Washington Examiner, April 2, 2020
[3] See 鈥淧andemic Federalism鈥�, John Yoo, National Review, March 20, 2020
