we dont live in the perfect world, so we have to move it in the right direction gradually
I could not disagree more. Every thin dime that makes it's way to federal coffers helps to fund the beast that will enslave us. The states are perfectly capable of running their own systems once the federal onus is off of their backs. The clean cut bleeds least.
The question is whether we conservatives can develop the patience and focus to achieve that sort of progress. We're awfully wedded to the "big victory" theory of politics, which allows us to rest on our achievements, while the other side is busy looking for ways to chip away at anything we might have gained.