I live in a red state. There are plenty of conservative ideas that I completely disagree with just as there are plenty of liberal ideas that I disagree with. What really chaps my hide, however, is the insistence on conservatives who want to force “morally” based laws at the Federal level just as there are liberals who want to force their ideas at the Federal level.
I remember when the speed limit was Federally mandated at 55mph. What an unmitigated disaster! Driving in Vermont is such a different thing from driving in Texas or Montana.
Another example is laws passed in large metropolitan areas that make no sense in the rural areas.
I would like to see more of the states handling their own affairs and stop attempting to export laws to the Federal level.
Interesting, since I’ve gradually felt the exact opposite.
In this day and age with instant communication and where cross country trips take hours instead of weeks/months, it seems silly and inefficient for each state to have separate and different laws for a lot of things. That’s not saying I think there should be only federal-level laws or that all federal-level attempts are successful (I agree with you about the 55 speed limit, as an example).
But there are things that just seem stupid to have vary so much, especially since its quite possible to travel in/move to a different state and not know that x y and z laws are actually totally different from what you’ve experienced. Of course ignorance of the law is no excuse to escape punishment, but there can be important differences for all kinds of laws that would probably never occur to you would differ*, like how long you can live in a state before needing to get your license through that state instead of just keeping your old one, what to do on a freeway when a cop car is on a shoulder, and other things (even non-driving related things, even if I can’t think of any off the top of my head!).
For the record, I haven’t gotten into any trouble for differing state laws, so I’m not defensively arguing about my personal experiences.
So what you’re saying is you hate democracy and want to live in a state run by a dictator that you approve. So you’re saying you want to be a dictator. Original ! NOT.
The point of the speed limit was to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil. It makes sense for decisions like that to be made on a national level.
And states didn’t have to follow that mandate, they just had to stop taking federal highway funds if they didn’t. Under Bush43 a couple of programs were set up under the Department of Education that gave money to states, but only if they taught Abstinence Only for contraception. Quite a few states had stopped accepting the money by the end of his time in office because of increases in their teen pregnancy rates.
A problem is that no state is an island (okay, except for Hawaii). Laws that are enacted in one state can have effects in bordering states. If Vermont decriminalizes marijuana or lowers the drinking age to eighteen, then you’re going to have a lot of teenagers driving in from New Hampshire to buy weed and booze.
Eh? Far from it! It works fine…so long as people aren’t idiots about it.
(Hm… People… Idiots… Okay, maybe not…)
re Federalism, I’ve always figured various laws have a natural scope or scale. For instance, the FCC has to be at the federal or national level…and, indeed, should be international, because radio and tv broadcasts don’t stop at state lines. Air pollution laws also need to be nation-wide; otherwise, Delaware would simply allow the burning of rubber tires and New Jersey couldn’t do a think about the stink.
Speed limits can be more localized. And city planning and zoning more localized yet.
It has been awhile since the nice folks in KS boarded trains entering their little patch of paradise and busted anyone aboard with booze.
I’m waiting for them to figure out which standard flight paths (Air Traffic Control at State level, anyone?) overfly that hellhole and use GPS to determine when it enters KS airspace.
Let’s have a qick game of “name that State!”
First to establish a debtor’s prison
First to legalize slavery (somebody already did the chain-gang thing)
Sure, but that’s true at international borders too. And if we could just decriminalize at the federal level, the whole issue goes away, saving billions of dollars at the same time.
People drive from Kansas to Colorado to get weed. Meanwhile, Coloradans drive to Wyoming or New Mexico for fireworks.
I’ve never understood this argument. If the 18 year olds from New Hampshire come to Vermont for legal weed and booze, well have fun. Vermont doesn’t care, so enjoy yourself. If the 18 year old takes his booze and weed back to New Hampshire, he’s breaking the law and can be punished. If he drives intoxicated, he is violating Vermont AND New Hampshire law and can be punished.
He can already be punished, and/or deterred by existing law. Why do we need a national law that applies to everyone just to add a duplicate law affecting those handful of people who live along state borders?
My perspective is more sociological than legal but I agree with the OP. I truly dislike the homogenizing of America. We talk diversity and how it enriches a culture and then seem to push for states and people walking in lockstep.
Government enforcement creates an artificial pressure on people to adjust to conditions that they would eventually chose for themselves with changing demographics. This breeds resentment and social conflict. And I prefer the goal to be harmonious change. (I know.)
I, too, am becoming disturbed about the increasing evidence that we have people making laws for areas which they don’t understand. Seeing it here in MN frequently in a urban-influenced legislature trying to administer to rural areas.
I’ve worked for the government in three arenas and nowhere was rule from top down more obviously misguided and dysfunctional than in those workplaces. If only they could come down here and do our jobs for a week they could better see what we need to do them well.
Having also worked in the private sector I know that it’s human nature to feel that way. You’re right there.
Still there is more flexibility if you have a boss who encourages team approach. That concept kinda goes out the window when an entity is in charge.
If you don’t have a boss who values your needs you can look for another one who does. The governmental process to achieve this drags on forever and when you work forty hours a week and have a family it leaves little time for citizenship.
