The Federal Government And State Government In The United States Government

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The United States is run under a federal system. This means that there are two forms of government, Federal and State, in which the citizens or people are regulated. That being said, the Federal Government and State Government are both set up in a similar fashion; there are three branches of government in each system where one branch cannot have complete control, also known as a checks and balance system. Just like the Federal Government has a constitution, each state also has their own constitution and the ability to make laws that pertain to citizens or people within that states’ borders. When a conflict of jurisdiction arises between federal law and state law, the supremacy clause comes into action. Under the United States Constitution, the Federal Government has the ability to make laws regarding expressed powers. Expressed powers are powers given to Congress by the United States Constitution that allow them to regulate federal matters such as the coining of monies, the post office or the military. They also have the power to make laws that are related to an expressed power, known as implied powers. This means that Congress can only pass laws with the power that is provided to them in the U.S.…show more content…
Constitution and its laws are the supreme law of the land. For example, in Colorado recreational marijuana is legal, however, by federal law the consumption or possession of marijuana is illegal. If a person is caught with less than an ounce of marijuana on their person and they are over the age of twenty-one, the state will not charge with person with possession of a controlled substance. Now, if the person is caught by a federal agency, even if they are within the Colorado State border, the federal government has the right to obtain a warrant and arrest the person for possession of a controlled substance. The federal court has this right because federal laws trump state and local

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