Federalist Government, Essay Example

Introduction

The federalist form of government represents a means of overarching government rule, combined with multi-state or multi-region rule that work in collaboration to meet the needs of the people. Federalism in the United States is characterized by a number of key principles that move democracy forward from one experience to the next. At the same time the United States federal system is increasingly complex and intricate on many levels, thereby leading to a democratic state with a challenge to overcome its bureaucratic tendencies across all of its agencies. It is important to recognize the contributions of a federalist state to the democratic achievements of a nation, whereby there are significant benefits to this type of government rule.

Body

In the Federalist state, the judicial branch is represented by many levels of judicial rule, including but not limited to federal courts and the Supreme Court. The federal judicial branch of the government was mandated in Article III of the United States Constitution and supports the creation of a judicial system that would have a great degree of freedom and influence in shaping the judicial framework throughout the country (The White House, 2013). The judicial branch of the United States is also responsible for appointing judges to federal court systems and in carrying out the laws of the United States in different forms (The White House, 2013). In this capacity, federal judges listen to a wide variety of cases and make decisions based upon the laws that govern in this manner (The White House, 2013).

The judicial branch of the United States federal government also conveys the critical relevance of the Supreme Court in addressing some of the most important and landmark cases that establish a precedent for government rule and the right to a fair trial (The White House, 2013). In this capacity, the Supreme Court provides oversight and direction to all forms of judicial rule and enables the US judicial system to operate in the desired manner at all times (The White House, 2013). The federalist approach to governance requires the national government and state governments to work in conjunction with each other to accomplish the desired objectives and to carry out the laws of the land to preserve the nation’s people and its borders (Longley, 2013). This branch also adheres to the laws of the US Constitution and reflects upon these laws when making important decisions regarding the health and welfare of the nation and its people (Longley, 2013). The branch is further divided into 94 district courts and 12 regional courts, whereby criminal and civil cases are tried and decisions are made on behalf of the people of the United States (US General Services Administration, 2013).

The judicial branch of the US federal government has evolved over a period of more than 200 years and has supported the continued change and growth of states, the US border, and the people that reside in this country. The US Constitution was written several centuries ago to serve as a set of rules and regulations to govern the people of the US, even though the population was much smaller during this era. In spite of these challenges, the Constitution remains the primary set of laws which govern the United States and its government bodies, and is the primary reference point for all decisions made by the United States Supreme Court. Over the past two centuries, as the US has expanded its population and its borders, there have been significant shifts in thought and perspective over this same period of time. Therefore, the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution in different ways to apply these principles to the modern era of the 21^st Century, such as discussions regarding gay marriage and gun control. With these examples, the US Constitution as it was intended in its original form is somewhat archaic. As a result, the people of the United States and the judicial branch have been instrumental in shaping the lives of the people and in securing the nation’s borders, in spite of the challenges that occur throughout the world. Therefore, the founders of the United States would find many issues of the modern era somewhat perplexing, but would also consider that that Supreme Court continues to convey the importance of interpretation of these key principles.

The federalist system continues to outweigh models related to separate states living under the same union but without any form of national governance. The latter model is not a popular choice because it limits the capacity of decisions to be made that will unify the country as one whole. Rather, with the individual state governing mandate without a national governing body, there is a much greater risk of some states having far too much power, which could lead to negative circumstances and poor outcomes for the people of these states. Therefore, a national governing body remains the most appropriate method for a country the size of the United States with the number of people that reside there.

Conclusion

The United States’ federalist system has been widely successful for many reasons and represents a means of unifying the fifty states under a national form of governance. The judicial branch is of unique importance because this branch reflects a means of exploring the interpretation of the US Constitution and its impact on decision-making and civility at all levels. With this approach in mind, it is important to recognize the value of the Supreme Court in its purpose of interpreting the Constitution, as well as the district and circuit courts, which hear criminal and civil cases on a regular basis. Therefore, the federalist system in the United States is the preferred approach over the rule of individual states without a larger governing body, because the former has been proven successful over many years and enables the people of the United States to be protected from unnecessary risk and harm to their personal property, possessions, and the US borders.

References

U.S. General Services Administration (2013). The Judicial Branch. Retrieved from http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/116271

The White House (2013). The Judicial Branch. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/our-government/judicial-branch