ETVT the relationship between the federal government and the state is determined more by the president than by the US Constitution

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• Constitution limits federal govt on power to control state govts

• Obama’s ACA in 2010 (passed 60-39) sought to expand Medicaid (joint federal-state programme)

• Required states to cover low-income people with healthcare

• If fail to comply, risk losing Medicaid funding

• However, SC deemed it to be unconstitutionally coercive

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• Presidents can use federal funding to incentivise states to adopt policies

• 2009 Race to the Top programme

• Federal govt made $4b+ in competitive grants available to states

• States competed for funding in terms of willingness to adopt Obama’s reforms

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• Constitution gives states independent authority regardless of presidential preference

• In Dobbs v Jackson 2022, SC overturned Roe v Wade

• Gave individual states autonomy to regulate abortion rights themselves

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• Presidential ideology determines the extent of federal intervention

• Biden 2022 - Inflation Reduction Act (Passed 51-50 with Harris)

• Introduced federal incentives for states to support clean energy investment