Federalism as a Metaphor in the Constitutional Politics of Public Administration

Abstract

is a distinctive feature and integral part of American constitutional politics and the administration of public affairs. A remarkable unity is suggested along with respect for diversity and independence of the states. Federalism has integrative force in uniting fact and fiction, passion and principle, and state and national governments. Yet, the simple imagery of limited government, based on a separation of state and national powers, conceals complex and ambiguous connections. As a result, federalism is often a metaphor for states' sovereignty and restrictions on the federal government's powers, rather than appreciated as part of the political structure and process created by the U.S. Constitution, which provides the basis for an ongoing dialogue on the roles and responsibilities of federal and state governments in providing social services.