The American federal system is not simply a decentralized hierarchy. The states are not administrative units that exist only to implement policies made by some central government. The states are fully functioning constitutional politics in their own right, empowered by the American people to make a wide range of policies for their own citizens. The founding fathers expected the states to be the principal policymakers and the federal system. The powers granted to the federal government are relatively few in number and deal mainly with foreign, and Military …show more content…
A prime example is the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is a violation of the Constitution and the judicial system is overstepping their powers. Six weeks after the attack on September 11th, the 107th Congress passed the USA/ Patriot Act. and overnight revision of the nation's surveillance laws that vastly expanded the government's authority to spy on its own citizens while simultaneously reducing checks and balance on those powers like judicial oversight, public accountability, and the ability to challenge government searches in court. (Rotunda; “Additional Amendments - Bill of Rights Institute”; “[No