Final answer:
U.S. state sovereignty allows states to govern themselves within the confines of the federal constitution and laws, while national sovereignty pertains to the U.S. as a whole and its international autonomy. The balance of power between state and federal governments is an essential feature of American federalism, creating a patchwork of differing state policies while maintaining national coherence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The sovereignty of a state within the U.S. allows it to operate its own institutions and enforce its laws, subject to the constraints of the federal constitution and federal laws. In the United States, federalism is the system that defines the sharing of power between the national government and the state governments. Under this system, each state has the ability to enact its own policies and statutes as long as they do not conflict with the U.S. Constitution or federal laws. However, national sovereignty pertains to the U.S. as a whole and is exercised internationally; it is the country's complete autonomy to make decisions that affect its citizens, policies, and relations with other nations.
Most state governments are organized similarly to the federal government with their own executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The governor of a state is generally considered the counterpart to the president of the United States because the governor is the chief executive of the state. Power at the state and local level is held by elected officials who make policies within the scope granted to them by state constitutions and laws. Dillon's Rule illustrates that state actions have supremacy over those of local governments.
Federal decisions, often adjudicated by the U.S. Supreme Court, and complex intergovernmental relations can result in a patchwork of policies across different states, such as with marijuana usage laws and same-sex marriage regulations. This balance of state and national sovereignty is unique to the United States and is continually evolving based on legal rulings, political ideology, public attitudes, and various governmental needs.