Federalism, and all it stands for, underpins politics in America. Federalism gives the executive its power but it also gives states a great deal of power as has been clarified in Dillon’s Law. On many occasions, theSupreme Court has been called on to adjudicate what federalism means (usually in favour of the executiverather than states) but the Constitution put a great deal of faith in federalism when the Founding Fathers first constructed it.