What are YOUR state's rights (or wrongs)?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I was reading about the failed same-sex-marriage amendment today and got to thinking about what is or is not appropriate to be legislated at the federal and state levels, and what might change for me in Wisconsin if EVERYTHING was determined at the FEDERAL level.

Tomorrow you wake up and and all the state governments have vanished, having been replaced by a Federal code that’s more or less an average of existing state codes. What would you gain or lose in the exchange?

Wisconsin doesn’t have a death penalty today, but it will tomorrow assuming most states currently allow the death penalty, which I believe they do. I oppose the death penalty and I would see this as a loss, though many of my neighbors would be see the opposite. But maybe a national uniform legal code would result in fairer trials and a higher standard of professionalism in the field of law, and make the death penalty less objectionable.

Another thing I would lose would be rights to witness government affairs as closely as I can now. Wisconsin has very strong “Open Meeting” laws, so strong in fact that our state supreme court discusses AND votes on their legal decisions in open, publlic session.

I imagine that land use laws would be one of the most visible alterations that might crop up as being WAY differemt, but as I’m not a landowner, I don’t feel qualified to comment on how it would impact property owbers.

I am failing to come up with any plusses for this scheme, which is rather sad because I like the idea in the abstract. I can’t think of any particular way Wisconsin is screwing me now that would stop under a new system. Maybe my tax burden will change slightly, and the amounts of taxes dedicated to some public services will go up or down in relation to others, but I’d have to see how that would shake out over time.

2

I would watch the economy of the state crumble, since casinos would get the kabosh.
I would have to pay state tax on my income.
I would have to drive slower.
Probably wouldn’t be allowed to carry a sidearm (if I wanted to).
Couldn’t get a damn beer after 2 am if I wanted.

Oh, the humanity! :eek:

3

If, as put forth by Boyo Jim, “all the state governments have vanished”, would state taxes still be in effect?

I’m actually pretty ignorant on the subject of government, even that of my own country, but I’d definfitely like to know more. That said, although the OP was referring to the United States*, I wouldn’t mind hearing how a similar change in other countries might affect things.

    • Even though many people, when they hear the word “America”, think of the United States of, I prefer using the word to describe the continental combo of North and South America. If I make reference to the United States of America, I’ll either call it exactly that, or just the United States, or U.S.A. However, are there any other nations which are also known as “United States”? (e.g. The United States of Krakozhia.) If so, I’d have to amend my references to always include “America” after “United States”.

Anyhoo…