Addendum to "Constitutional Principles"
States' rights can go to hell.
I'm quite serious.
As a principle of government, it's been solid since the 30's that the federal government can regulate anything it wants -- technically, anything that "affects interstate commerce," which is, of course, everything.
States' rights are brought out: a) when state honchos happen to be at odds with the federal government; and b) as a weasel-word to appeal to racists.
Look at the federal government's law setting the drinking age and try to argue the states are sovereign. They exist because they always have. We could abolish them and create provinces without much real-life change, if it didn't take so much effort.
Anyone who thinks states' rights are a vital issue is deluded. (If such people exist.)
I'm quite serious.
As a principle of government, it's been solid since the 30's that the federal government can regulate anything it wants -- technically, anything that "affects interstate commerce," which is, of course, everything.
States' rights are brought out: a) when state honchos happen to be at odds with the federal government; and b) as a weasel-word to appeal to racists.
Look at the federal government's law setting the drinking age and try to argue the states are sovereign. They exist because they always have. We could abolish them and create provinces without much real-life change, if it didn't take so much effort.
Anyone who thinks states' rights are a vital issue is deluded. (If such people exist.)
posted by Minivet at 7:51 PM
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