Which of the following is considered to be a delegated power of the national government?
A. running public schools
B. building infrastructure
C. exercising the police power
D. regulating interstate commerce
D. regulating interstate commerce
The delegated power of the national government to consider is regulating interstate commerce.
To determine which of the following is considered to be a delegated power of the national government, we need to understand what delegated powers are. Delegated powers are powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution. These powers are outlined in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, also known as the "Enumerated Powers."
Let's examine each option from the given choices to determine if it is a delegated power:
A. Running public schools: The Constitution does not explicitly grant the national government the power to run public schools. The responsibility for education largely falls within the jurisdiction of state and local governments. Therefore, this is not a delegated power of the national government.
B. Building infrastructure: While the national government does have the power to build infrastructure, such as highways and bridges, this power is not explicitly stated in the Constitution. However, it does fall under the implied powers of the national government, which are derived from the necessary and proper clause in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. So, building infrastructure can be considered as an implied power rather than a delegated power.
C. Exercising the police power: The police power, which relates to maintaining law and order and ensuring public safety, primarily falls within the authority of state governments. The national government does not have the delegated power to exercise the police power.
D. Regulating interstate commerce: The power to regulate interstate commerce is explicitly granted to the national government by the Commerce Clause in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. This allows the national government to regulate trade and commerce among the states, making it a delegated power.
Therefore, the correct answer is D. Regulating interstate commerce.