Question of the Day - December 1

[Angela Cunningham]

What are the advantages and disadvantages of allowing state governments, rather than the national government, to make certain laws? Explain your reasoning.

Remember to refer to the reserved powers discussed in class today.

[hehur]

Some advantages of allowing states to make certain laws are that specific needs can be met. Like local issues that the government has no idea about and has no time to deal with.
Some disadvantages are that the state might start abusing their power. And also if a person from a state travels to another state may not be aware of the specific laws of that state and could get thereself into trouble.

[Angela Cunningham]

Great start. Add examples. Which local needs? What type of laws might get someone into trouble?

[rahur]

some advantages are that certiian states have certain needs that could differ from other places. maines needs are going to be different than the needs of hawaii. a dis advantage is that if the have all the power they may try to succeed like they did in 1861.
an example would be when the southern states had different ideas than the north the had the power and it turned into a war.

[Angela Cunningham]

Good.

Please proofread your statements before you post. Some of your words don't mean what you think they mean.

[elcha]

Some advantages are that the state makes law that one state my need when another state may not need, Some disavantages are that state laws are diferent in every state and if yu go to a different state for some reasons you may not know what to expect for the state laws in that state because therecould be different.

[Angela Cunningham]

Good start. Add examples to support your reasoning.

[cykie]

The advantages of allowing state governments rather than national governments to make certain laws are that the state government can address the state's particular needs accordingly, which the national government could not address as well, because it may or may not apply to the country as a whole. The disadvantage of state governments creating certain laws is that as a whole; certain issues, such as driver's laws (driving age), educational requirements and expectations, gay marriage restrictions, and drunk driving laws all differ among states. It becomes a problem because the states tend to be contradictory in the way they view and handle the issue. Some states are more lenient with those laws as others are stricter.

[Angela Cunningham]

Excellent. Give an example (or two) to support your advantage.

[cykie]

Each individual state may have different issues according to their geography, and the type of people who live there. So they handle them... accordingly.
For example, in Apple Valley, California, it is illegal for ducks to quack after 10:00 PM within the
city limits. Maybe that is a huge issue there (haha) but I don't think Hawaii has to worry about that. Or, in Malibu, California, it is against the law to laugh out loud in a movie theatre. If that were the case here in Kentucky, I think Chelsea and I would've been arrested recently while watching Twilight because we were undoubtedly the loudest ones there. Also, in San Francisco, California, there is a law that guarantees sunshine for the people. Now if we lived in Forks, Washington, I don't believe that could be guaranteed. Or how about this? According to Connecticut state law, in order for a pickle to be qualified as a pickle, it must bounce. Although these are obviously the most trivial of laws, it shows what kind of... issues pose problems among these states. Now for the less trivial ones, driving laws and requirements in Kentucky vs. Alaska. Kentucky teens are allowed to apply for a permit when they reach the age of 16, and they have to pass a visual screening and written permit test. To get a learner’s permit in the State of Alaska you must be 14 years of age, accompanied by a person over 21. Once that's acquired, ten of your forty minimum hours should be under "challenging" circumstances, like during nighttime driving and inclement weather. Like previously said, some states are more lenient (such as the requirement in Alaska to be 14 to apply for a driving permit) while others are stricter, which is understandable because conditions differ among states, such as geography, climate, and the type of people who live there which all impact the decision to make laws based on these differences.
http://www.anvari.org/cols/Weird_Laws_of_the_United_States.html
http://www.drivinglaws.org/teen/kyteen.php

[anyou]

One advantage of allowing state governments to make certain laws is that the states could focus on some things that the national government has no time to deal with. An example would be most Public School guidelines, law enforcement, such as the age to drive, and the age to drink alcohol. Some disadvantages of this would be that the State governments may start to misunderstand the power they have and try to make laws that would violate the U.S. Constitution. Some examples would be a law that says the age to vote would be raised to 20. This would not overrule the right in the Constitution that says the age of voters must be at least 18. Another example would be that state police trying to get away with illegal searches, without a search warrant. This would violate the 4th amendment of the Constitution.

[Angela Cunningham]

Good job.

[mecro]

Some of the advantages are, only the state has to follow those laws. and a disadvantage is if the law is so important they would want the whole United States to follow that law.