Federalism: The Good and the Bad - The good - Federalism allows regions and states to pass and enforce different laws more suited to Their local population - Innovation and experimentation at local levels - Allows for more protection of individual rights - Suffrage, marriage - The bad - States sometimes ignore national laws - States may sometimes pass questionable laws - Federal and state laws sometimes clash The Bad - Spillover - When the laws of one state have an impact on other states Alternate Power Systems - Confederation - States retain most autonomy and can override the actions of the central government - Unitary System - The central government has all power California Law and Federalism - In several states’ marijuana has become legal medically and recreationally - California voters recently voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use Marijuana - Marijuana and Federal Law - Federal law prohibits the cultivation, distribution, and possession of marijuana - Marijuana is a schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act