Exclusive and Concurrent powersSam Lees and Joel Sutcliffe

Exclusive Powers• Powers reserved to the federal government by the

constitution.- Print money.- Declare war.- Make laws to change the constitution.- Regulate interstate and international commerce.- Establish and maintain an army and navy.

Challenges to the Exclusive powers• US vs Arizona (2012) - Arizona sought to implement state

punishments for federal immigration regulations.• Federal government claimed federal laws precluded state due

to violation of the commerce clause.• Supreme court backed up Federal government.

Concurrent Powers• Powers shared by both Federal and State government.- Setting up courts.- Creating and collecting taxes.- Borrowing money.- Making and enforcing laws.- Spending money for the betterment of welfare.

Challenges between concurrent powers

• 1959 – Argument that congress was given power to tax only the District of Columbia. This was quickly overturned by the supreme government.

• Marijuana laws • Marriage laws• Both solvalbe through federal government

Where concurrent powers have worked

• Highway system during 1960s; even though most states were fighting with the federal government, they did work together to make a functioning highway system.