AMERICAN FEDERALISM AND REGIONAL POLICY

American federalism is a unique political structure, especially in its capacity for managing regional economic development. Multiple and oft en competing development goals - equity, efficiency, democracy, and lo ng term economic vitality - are demanded of it. The system performs re latively well at providing access for democratic participation and eng endering efficiency in public service provision, but it has difficulty ensuring long-term vitality and achieving equity. Territorialized leg islative bodies substitute for and impede the evolution of more centra lized, deliberative regional policy.