American Federalism and Covid-19

Abstract

The United States has a dualist federal system where the states delegated limited power to the federal government. Public health is largely reserved to the states, although the federal government can regulate foreign and interstate travel and commerce, as well as provide financial and scientific assistance to the states. States’ governors and many local-government executives responded to the Covid-19 pandemic with different combinations of mitigation policies, including stay-at-home orders, masking requirements, self-quarantine, and variations on permitted business activity. The federal government limited foreign travel, provided public health recommendations, aided private companies in vaccine development, and provided unprecedented financial assistance to fight the pandemic and stimulate the economy. President Donald Trump did not have authority to mandate a national mitigation strategy. However, he did not use his informal powers to coordinate with governors to create a more unified approach to Covid-19. He, along with most Republican governors and members of Congress, focused more on economic recovery, while Democratic officials focused more on controlling the virus. This partisan polarisation, and Trump’s lack of intergovernmental leadership, rather than the federal structure itself, prevented the United States from having a stronger response to Covid-19. The pandemic response has not resulted in any significant changes in the federal structure. © 2022 selection and editorial matter, Nico Steytler.