Strong States' Rights Not Likely Key to Left, Right Unity (Liberals Discover Federalism)

However, committed states-righters and libertarians can take heart. Apparently, federalism is not dead. The left, long proponents of big, activist federal government, finding itself unquestionably in the minority, is discovering the virtues of federalism. Facing what could be the lengthy reign of a conservative government, many blue-staters are thinking hard about the advantages of local rule.

It is amazing that the left was forced to the brink of electoral obscurity before they could "see the light" that federalism offered. I have been telling my liberal friends (I have a PhD and lived in both Berkeley and Cambridge) for years that the solution to the divided country was as plain as the constitution. I suggested that they stop trying to force their radical social agenda down the throats of people who just want to live in a civil society which doesn't attack their moral and religious beliefs on a daily basis. I further suggested that if they did not stop that these everyday folks would eventually rise up and turn the tables. I am strongly in favor of states rights. Problems should be addressed at the lowest political level which can handle this issue. We should of course realize what is appropriate for the governmental arena as well. I agree with this article that it is unlikely that liberals are ready to make the kind of compromises required to restore our original govermental balannce. Chief among these is the continued culture of law schools which is antagonistic to original intent. An amendment ot the constitution may be required to define "judicial review" for this grand compromise. I disagree with the article regarding acitivist conservative goverment trampling states rights. We are trying to repeal decades of misused federal governmental and legal structures. Ashcroft was just applying current federal law.

Burke then suggested that the left abandon the idea of an influential federal government that dictates top-down policy for the entire country in favor of allowing blue-state jurisdictions to live by blue-state policy and red-state jurisdictions to live by red-state policy.

The problem is that there will be a flow of businesses and hard workers from blue to red states while those desiring to live on the public teat will move from red states to blue states. The blue states will have to build a Berlin Wall to keep their productive citizens. It will start to look like Atlas Shrugged behind that wall.

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