Vertical Federalism refers a ranking system applied to the different levels of government in the country. The Central or federal government can exercise authority over each state and is responsible for certain things like foreign policy, national defense and legal tender. States can exercise authority over city and town governments while the more local governments don’t make any laws at all, and are just responsible for making sure their citizens are obeying the law and having their needs met.

Horizontal Federalism is describing the relationships of the different departments at the same level of government. An example of the federal level is the idea of checks and balances among the three main branches. The executive, legislative and judicial branches all keep an eye on each other and make sure the other two are following policies agree upon by all.

Letter from Samuel Adams to Richard Henry Lee (1787)

"...shall extend to every subject of legislation, and its laws be supreme and control the whole, the idea of sovereignty in these states must be lost. Indeed I think, upon such a supposition, those sovereignties ought to be eradicated from the mind; for they would be Imperia to Imperio justly deemed a solecism in politicks, and they would be highly dangerous, and destructive of the peace union and safety of the nation. And can this Nation Legislature  be competent to make laws for the free internal government of one people, living in climates so remote and whose habits and particular interests are and probably always will be so different."

The first point he is making is that if there is a central government that can make laws and have power of all states, then the power held by those individual states will inevitably dissolve. He says it is much better to have a union of sates that agree on certain policies when it come to dealing with each other but in the end each state should be as self sufficient as possible in order to guarantee the freedoms they already had at this point. He also argues that this country is so big and diverse that every state has different need to be met because the climate and landscape and distance between cultures creates different factors in the day to day lives of different people living in those diverse regions. In other words, the life styles of those living in Georgia was very different than those living in Maine. The climate difference, difference in landscape or terrain and even just the isolative distance between the two areas is bound to create a difference in values, needs and goals.

I chose this passage because when forming a government, people must ask themselves how they can be most effective in achieving the goals of that government. In this case, the goal of the very new American government was to protect as many civil liberties as possible while improving if not maintaining the quality of life of its citizens. This is something I have always been torn about. On one hand I can see the advantage of a united country. Some laws are so crucial that there should be one central government ensuring that every state is on the same page when it comes to recognizing them. For example, I think we expect every state to uphold that murder and torture are illegal. We even enforce this policy in other countries when our government gets involved with human rights abuse. However, states can still have the power to enforce that law as they see fit giving them some autonomy. Some states have the death penalty and others don't. There is also the advantage of security that comes with a central government. It is much easier to conquer 13 separate colonies one at a time as opposed to one country made up of 13 states pooling all of its resources together, which is why this country united in the first place. However, I have always agreed that life in this country is so diverse that some areas might as well be their own country. Not to say they shouldn't have the support of the union, but should be a little more left alone to govern themselves when it comes to everyday life.