Here's a question I have always had when people bring up states issues. Is the State not government as well? Why is federal government so bad but State isn't? They are both shitty in my opinion. Both are full of assholes who are only interested in themselves and not the people. That's always been a turn off for me when it comes to candidate choosing. Someone who says govenrment is evil but vote for me because I want to be a part of it.
States are smaller and should be more responsive to the people (in theory). Also states have different populations with different wants and needs. Look how different the people of La are from other states. Finally states are the incubators of ideas. Good ideas can be tested and when proven successful emulated in other states. A massive screw up or bad policy in a state doesn't have the impact it would if imposed across the board. Too often liberals and conservatives are fooled by the idea that what is good for one is good for all always and that universal conformity is good. They think it easier to work from the top down. It is a sirens' song and usually too good to be true except a few key areas like defense, interstate commerce, and others the founding fathers enumerated. They knew and feared a too strong central government. That is why the enumerated federal power and left the states the rest. For those that say we're not in the 18th or 19th century and that isn't true or that modern communications make it possible I say you're wrong. The same drivers are there and the constitution has been flexible enough to adapt to the changes of the last 226 years. Certain things are and should be left to the states.
interstate commerce has always been a federal issue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_Commerce_Act_of_1887
thats why each state had the option of setting up its own insurance exchange, so they could craft the program to the states demographics and population.
If you want to ask about changes in society such as integration and gay marriage etc well they are accommodated by the constitution which has clause such as the full faith and credit clause. This means a marriage in California is legal in La. So a gay couple married in Ca should have all the same rights in La whether or not the can get married here. Also the federal courts are the great refiner of the constitution and guess what they have used the constitution to open up marriage prevent discrimination and deal with the results of a modern technology and complete change from a rural agrarian society to an industrial urban one.
Like I said. Actually it is part of the constitution embedded in the rights of congress. Also the interstate commerce clause is the vehicle to allowing adaptation to changes in our society.
actually it was enacted so we wouldnt have chaos with states doing business with each other. But it has allowed for adaptation.
