Watch the videos below and answer the questions that follow.
Fred Thompson, the former senator who ran as a candidate for the 2008 Republican nomination for president of the United States, produced the following video as part of his presidential campaign. In this video, he discusses the importance of federalism.
Fred Thompson on Federalism
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| 1a. Do you agree with Thompson that too much political power is centralized in the federal government? Why or why not?
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| 1b. In your opinion, do we sacrifice freedom by nationalizing resources such as education, health care, criminal law, and tort law? Why or why not?
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2. The following campaign ad from Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, describes his views on the importance of the Tenth Amendment to governing Texas.
Rick Perry for Governor, 2010
In Governor Perry’s campaign ad, he says the Tenth Amendment is "supposed to keep the federal government from messing with Texas." What guidelines can you offer as to when the national government should or should not be involved in what is happening within a state? |
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Arizona recently passed an immigration law that has been the source of a lot of controversy in the United States. The Obama administration has directed the Department of Justice to sue Arizona over the law. Watch the following report from CNN about this lawsuit.
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| 3a. What arguments is the Obama administration making about why immigration is the responsibility of the federal government?
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| 3b. What arguments are being made by the Arizona government on why this is a state issue?
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| 3c. Do you feel that immigration and border control should fall within the jurisdiction of the states or of the federal government? Explain your answer. Do you feel that current federal efforts in the areas of immigration and border control are adequate? Why or why not?
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