Poll - where should governmental power be held

[Sudsy]

States or Federal

 

Meaning, governing power should trickle up from local to federal, or down from federal to local.

 

Where should the bulk of power rest, with the states or with Washington (the federal government)

 

I'm curious to see where SOL's members fall on this

[fishnmagician]

Personally I view myself as an American,

Not as a New Jerseyian,

 

I think our set up is a bit passe.

[tiedtight]

By the PEOPLE!

 

 

And not by those people who just happen to be Senators, Representatives and President. Instead the power should be held by the people who these "elected officials" purport to serve.

[Little]

States.

 

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

[Nessmuk]

The poll needs to specify the types of gov't powers it's refering to for me to answer it.

 

In general I would say if the Constitution doesn't reserve it to the federal gov't, most belong to the States. I do think that the county does need enough uniformity so that crossing a State boundry doesn't make one feel like he's walking in to a different country. And I DO not feel that individual States should ever be in a position to consider themselves outside of the union. I believe that if we ever have folks identifying with their States over their nation, then we've clearly let things go too far.

[Patrick9915]

The poll needs to specify the types of gov't powers it's refering to for me to answer it.

 

In general I would say if the Constitution doesn't reserve it to the federal gov't, most belong to the States. I do think that the county does need enough uniformity so that crossing a State boundry doesn't make one feel like he's walking in to a different country. And I DO not feel that individual States should ever be in a position to consider themselves outside of the union. I believe that if we ever have folks identifying with their States over their nation, then we've clearly let things go too far.

 

I agree. I think it's the 9th and 10th amendment that sets up these rights.

[Gmofftarki]

Power needs to move back to the state and local level.

 

Face it, I'm less represented by Hussein (Or Bush, for that matter) than I am by Lieberman than I am by Rell than I am by state senators/representatives than I am by my town council, by definition.

 

Yet... the federal government handles a good 35% of my money, 40% with social security/medicare taken into account?

 

Local gets almost 0, state gets 5%?

 

Something's very wrong there. Fed can have 10% to pay for national defense, anything else that's ABSOLUTELY needed for social programs should go to my local city council or my state government.

[lichum]

States or Federal

 

Meaning, governing power should trickle up from local to federal, or down from federal to local.

Where should the bulk of power rest, with the states or with Washington (the federal government)

 

I'm curious to see where SOL's members fall on this

 

Federalism bifurcates the centers of power. Federal and State Power have their utility. Recognizing that, I still prefer more individualism and less statism.