Hi can an American explain to me about the State level congress?

Question

Can someone explain to me about the USA state congress? Are they powerful - how do they relate to the National Senator for the same state? DO many people vote for them and do you know the name of yours?

I know that they are different in terms of structure. I am interested in whether they have power struggles at the boundary of what should be state issue and what is a federal issue.
I am English so don't know much about the system.

Like during Catrina I thought there had been lots of disagreement between what the state should have done and what the federal level should have done.

Answer 1

They are very powerful in respect to a person's life, Constitutionally designed to be more powerful in respect to a citizen's personal life than the Federal government.

However, their elections, though varying from state to state, and city to city, are not widely followed. Often they run unopposed.

State legislatures are usually modeled after the National legislature, I think usually bicameral, but they make laws applying to the States. Each State also has its own Constitution. States are like a separate government, in a union under a central government, thus the name the United States. Like the European Union, only the Union of the States, itself, as a central body, has grown greatly in power over the years. Each State must have representative government, as the Constitution of the United States guarantees the right to a republican form of government.


That stuff about Katrina was just partisan politics... the city was mainly democratic, so they tried to shift a lot of the blame from the Republican Federal government to the Democratic mayor.

The Federal Emergency Management Association should have taken care of the problem, with or without any help from the state.

Answer 2

state ligislatures operate in the same fashion us congress does.
will rogers a comedian in the 30's said an honest politician is one when bought, stays bought.
there are caucuses at every political level. part of their job is to help coordinate party politics. another is to formulate party policy or position.
if course a national politician will work with state politicians, because that is the go along to get along policy and a source of campaign funds.
voting in america, if averaged by total elections, divided by eligible voters doing so would be a figure under 50%, and i suspect under 33%.
i travel extensively, all year long, am rarely anywhere long enough to qualify to register, so am unable to at this time, thus i do not know the names of legislators that might be "mine."
great question, tho embarrassing.

our constitution designates state powers and federal powers, thus issues each must deal with.

Answer 3

At the state level it is called State Legislature. They legislate the affairs of the state. The senators and representatives of each state are not as powerful as the U.S. Senators and U.S. Representives.
Do many people vote for them ? No, sorry to say, but apathy is to often the case come election time and I do not know the name(s) of my state senators and state representives.

Answer 4

Are you taking about State Legislatures? This is a different branch of government from the US Congress and Senate (the guys in Washington).

Answer 5

state governments have power within there state, but they have to act within boundaries from the congress of the US. the state government is separate from Federal Government.

Answer 6

Our state (NC) level elected officials are called representatives and senators and they're elected in districts. They create rules for the state and have no real power federally.

My local senator is Swindell. My local rep is Butterfield.

Good luck!

Answer 7

State congresses are the lawmaking bodies for the individual states. They do not "relate" to the U.S. congressmen. They are different bodies entirely. I do indeed know the names of mine.

Answer 8

yeah they have much power .no i don't nohalf of the one s from my state just no that thier all neocons .