how constitution protects state powers

Tenth Amendment, states powers not delegated to federal government, nor prohibited to the states, are reserved for the states or the people.

how us constitution protects states against the financial power of federal government

states can and have refused federal funding especially when this funding comes with policy conditions imposed by federal government

• includes limits on the federal government's ability to coerce states through funding conditions

• this is protected by the Tenth Amendment as it reserves powers not delegated to the federal government for the states.

• example: SC clarified limits of federal financial power over states in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012), key case that mostly upheld the Affordable Care Act (ACA). ruled that affordable care act couldn’t force states to expand Medicaid by threatening to cut all federal Medicaid funding. If losing federal money is too big or threatens an important part of the state’s budget, it becomes coercion, not a fair incentive.