Harrison College
American Government
January 24, 2012
Abstract
There is an ongoing debate between centralists and decentralist about state, local and government law regulation. This paper will show what the arguments would be between centralists and decentralists on The Medicaid funding of Planned Parenthood, Energy assistance for low-income families and the sentencing reform for offenders convicted of crack-cocaine charges. It is important to keep in mind the Tenth Amendment as it pertains to the reserved powers of the states.
Powers of the States versus the Powers of the Federal Government There is an ongoing debate between centralists and decentralist about state, local and government law regulation. According to the text, centralists are people who favor national action over action at the state and local levels (Magleby & Light, 2009). According to the text, decentralists are people who favor state or local action rather than national action (Magleby & Light, 2009). In April 2011 Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) signed HEA 1210 legislation that prevented Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds. Planned Parenthood of Indiana gets $3 million a year in government funds (Weiner, 2011). Planned Parenthood is a clinic for women that have been known to provide abortion services as well as other family planning services. Some believe that the Governor wanted this legislation signed into law to prevent women from using Medicaid funds to get an abortion.
Planned Parenthood has been a target of anti-abortion organizations that stand outside of the clinic with signs to deter women from getting an abortion. Federal law prohibits states from deciding which organization receives Medicaid funding for any reason other than quality of care (Weiner, 2011). Restricting Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood could be detrimental to the health of thousands of women