Carnuccio: Take Control of the Game
By Michael Carnuccio…
Like so many of the ideas enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, the concept of federalism was considered by the Founding Fathers to be essential to the success of the American experiment.
In the essay Federalist No. 39, James Madison reassured critics that the Constitution would not establish a strictly national government — that is, one that derives its powers exclusively from and operates directly upon the people, with no regard for the authority and responsibility of the states. Instead, the Constitution would establish a government that was both national and federal — i.e., respectful of state sovereignty.
The states had to ratify the Constitution for it to take effect.