Final answer:
Limiting state legislative powers is meant to balance state and federal authority, with certain powers exclusive, shared, or reserved. Advocates for state powers might cite the Tenth Amendment, while historical arguments around civil rights illustrate the complexity of federal-state relations. Term limits on state representatives present both benefits and drawbacks in ensuring effective governance.
Step-by-step explanation:
There are positive positions on limiting state legislative powers to maintain a balance between national and state government authority. The constitutional framework is designed to distribute powers and protect against too much concentration of power at either level. Some powers are exclusive to the national government, such as coinage of money and declaring war, while powers like establishing local governments and regulating intrastate commerce remain with the states.
Shared powers include the ability to tax, borrow money, and establish courts. Cities and municipalities operate under the authority of their respective state governments, whereas Native American reservations have a unique sovereign status. The Constitution places checks on national powers through mechanisms such as federalism and the separation of powers, while state powers are limited by the Supremacy Clause and other constitutional provisions.
If advocating for stronger state powers as a governor, one would refer to the Tenth Amendment which reserves powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, to the states or the people. Historical examples that illustrate state powers include the Civil Rights Movement, in which states' rights were invoked both to argue against and for federal intervention.
In my opinion, while the federal government requires sufficient power to maintain national unity and provide for the common defense, states should be empowered to address local concerns effectively. This often involves a tailored approach to policies such as education and public health that can be best managed at a state or local level.
State term limits can affect representation by encouraging diversity and reducing career politics, yet they also can remove experienced lawmakers. There is no prevailing national movement against term limits because the public often favors the idea of rotation in office to prevent entrenched political power. Nonetheless, term limits have both advantages and disadvantages, and should be considered with respect to the specific needs and contexts of individual states.