Is it legal?
This is a great argument...and I would have to agree that a "law" should be published, somewhere accessible to you and me.
And this will bring up the "States Rights" issue again. I just happen to be a proponent of ridding ourselves of States as a division of government. They are an anachronism, taking up far too much of our time and money in their support.
Are you saying you are against federalism? The 10th amendment?
ReplyDeleteNo. I'm saying just what you see printed there. Nothing added or hidden. States make no sense to me.
ReplyDeleteThey don't? I don't understand, what about counties then? The states came first, then the federal government. See I have a big problem with a legislator from say Ohio telling people in Arizona how to live. The problem as I see it is really that we have abandoned our little labs of democracy (the states) and instead traded it for a national government which really scares me. To much power is given to government on the national level already, by getting rid of states the national government would only get more power. You really want Bush, Sen, Clinton, etc. etc. to have more power? I'd rather see the states become independent countries than one large nationalist socialist state (which it is becoming).
ReplyDeleteExactly! You do understand...why not counties? Or cities? Or any old line in the dirt? It's all very arbitrary. Forget Ohio and Arizona. What about a guy from the next county telling you how to live? Or the next block over?
ReplyDeleteAnd does having a state government protect me in any way from the federal one? No. They both do their best to abuse the citizen...
Not intentionally, but since they are governments they cannot help themselves. Get rid of states and you have one less layer of inefficiency to pay for.
The history of states? That's a history of Tribalism and that's not a good thing. Tribalism causes more pain and grief than anything else in this world.
I think small government is better government. I do believe living in a state like Maine that my state government can protect me from a powerful central government. Maine often refuses federal funds in order to have things its own way. Many states do. I disagree on states being like tribalism, that is way to simplistic. You have to look at the cultural histories, geography, etc. You have to look at the colonies Steve, there were different types, royal, commercial, etc. The developed very differently culturaly.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the problem is a federal system but the lack of the peoples interest in politics. The lack of accountability our so called leaders are held to. You could symbolicaly rif yourself of states but you would still have regional governing, you'd have to. There would also have to be administrators for those areas whether elected govenors or appointed officials. I think you are a bit off on this issue though I share your distrust of government on all levels.
You wrote..."I disagree on states being like tribalism, that is way to simplistic."
ReplyDeleteIsn't it odd that people distrust that which seems too simple?