Not necessarily. Much of the business of the Federal Govt. has been creeping into the States over the last 40 years, and this is one of the things that Fred is going to try to change. The Federal Govt should NOT be involved in how states run their own affairs, unless is it something that is directly related to the Govt. according to the Constitution.
It could very well be that the vote mentioned in this story was that kind of issue. Taking a vote out of context can give it an entirely new and wrong meaning.
Or this federalism ruse could just be a front put up by Thompson to deflect criticism on a crappy vote.
And frankly, he’s put up more than a few crappy votes in his term representing the people of my state.