The State of American Federalism, 1996-1997

Federalism enjoyed political and popular salience during the period 1996-1997 as the so-called “Devolution Revolution” began to be implemented and analyzed in the United States. While there were a few examples of important Revolutionary efforts, the federal government continued to hold much of the power and significance it has achieved over the past sixty years. Even in the area of welfare policy, where in 1996 there were historic reforms enacted to end the federal entitlement, the federal government maintained a significant presence that made the idea of devolution of welfare policy responsibility some what questionable. Nevertheless, states continued to lead in policy innovation in areas ranging from education to health, and the U.S. Supreme Court continued to question the limits of federal power. The past year illustrated, once again, the complexity of our federal system and how difficult it is to reform federalism—particularly when it involves a shift in power and creates the perception of winners and losers. Copyright , Oxford University Press.