奥巴马执政以来的美国联邦权和州权冲突

The Conflicts between Federal and State Powers Under the Obama Administration

联邦制是美国政治制度的一个组成部分,在美国政治运行和公共政策制定中发挥着重要的作用。联邦权与州权的消长变化是了解美国政治和国内政策制定的一个重要视角。奥巴马执政以来,联邦政府和州政府在美国面临的一些国内政策关键领域的立法和司法冲突加剧,主要集中在医疗保健、移民、教育、环保、选举权以及众多的文化和道德价值观等问题上。导致联邦权和州权冲突加剧的原因,除了宪法对联邦和州分权规定的模糊性、州议会的立法特点等制度性因素的影响外,奥巴马政府的联邦制政策、州政治的变化、两党政治极化所导致的国会立法和政策制定僵局及其对州政治的影响是主要的原因。联邦权和州权冲突加剧为联邦政府与州政府的关系带来新的变化,同时使美国的公共政策制定呈现新的特点。

Federalism,as a component of American political system,plays a significant role in U.S.political operation and public policy making.The rise and decline of federal and state power provides an important perspective for the understanding of American politics and domestic policy making.Since President Obama took office,the conflicts between federal and state governments over key domestic policy issues,such as health care,immigration,education,environment,voting rights and numerous issues concerning culture and moral values,have increased.The major causes for the increase of conflicts include the Obama administration's policy towards federalism,changes in state politics,congressional stalemate on legislation and policy making caused by political polarization and its impacts on state politics,apart from the system factors such as the ambiguity of separation of powers between federal and state governments in the U.S.Constitution,legislative characteristics of state legislature.The increase of conflict between federal and state governments brings new changes to their relations,and new features to the making of public policy.