I'd be curious to hear what role corporate interests might play in the nationalization of our politics. To me, it would appear that certainly only having one set of hoops to jump through, in maybe a few different types of expressions, would be more efficient for massive businesses than jumping through 50 different sets of hoops.
The current system - including your Clean Air Act example - evolved out of state inaction. Had, say, even 30 other states addressed air quality the way CA did, or addressed wetlands and shorelands protection the way Wisconsin did, the system would be quite different, though its hard to say how.
Perhaps instead of thinking about abstract principles like sovereignty, we ought to focus on results. Cooperative federalism had (past tense because it is no longer the same) many flaws, but it had many successes, especially when it engaged local government. The difference is largely in the attitude, not in the structure.
The federal government largely consists of overtaxing, and then promising to give some of it back to the states and the people if they jump thru the federal hoops.
I've seen trained dogs jump thru hoops. I've seen trained states and citizens jump thru hoops. It's entertaining when dogs do it. Sad when the states and citizens do it.
I'd be curious to hear what role corporate interests might play in the nationalization of our politics. To me, it would appear that certainly only having one set of hoops to jump through, in maybe a few different types of expressions, would be more efficient for massive businesses than jumping through 50 different sets of hoops.
The current system - including your Clean Air Act example - evolved out of state inaction. Had, say, even 30 other states addressed air quality the way CA did, or addressed wetlands and shorelands protection the way Wisconsin did, the system would be quite different, though its hard to say how.
Perhaps instead of thinking about abstract principles like sovereignty, we ought to focus on results. Cooperative federalism had (past tense because it is no longer the same) many flaws, but it had many successes, especially when it engaged local government. The difference is largely in the attitude, not in the structure.
The federal government largely consists of overtaxing, and then promising to give some of it back to the states and the people if they jump thru the federal hoops.
I've seen trained dogs jump thru hoops. I've seen trained states and citizens jump thru hoops. It's entertaining when dogs do it. Sad when the states and citizens do it.