JonInMiddleGA
11-18-2004, 07:50 PM
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,138900,00.html
Much like columnist Radley Balko, I don't think I'm gonna hold my breath for this to happen, but I thought it was an interesting commentary anyway. I'm not gonna c-and-p the whole thing, but here's some of the basics of it.
Strong States' Rights Not Likely Key to Left, Right Unity
In those 10 years, as the Right has grown more powerful in American politics, it has also abandoned its traditional support for a restrained federal government — the principle of federalism upon which the U.S. was founded — in favor of an activist federal government that promotes conservatism.
...
However, committed states-righters and libertarians can take heart. Apparently, federalism is not dead. The left, long proponents of big, activist federal government, finding itself unquestionably in the minority, is discovering the virtues of federalism. Facing what could be the lengthy reign of a conservative government, many blue-staters are thinking hard about the advantages of local rule.
...
Liberal Swarthmore historian Timothy Burke ... suggested that the left abandon the idea of an influential federal government that dictates top-down policy for the entire country in favor of allowing blue-state jurisdictions to live by blue-state policy and red-state jurisdictions to live by red-state policy.
He isn't alone. University of Michigan Professor Juan Cole suggested on his Web site that the best way for Democrats to defuse hot-button cultural issues such as gay marriage is to privatize the institution, a position long held by libertarians.
Crooked Timber's Belle Waring went a step further, openly courting libertarians to join a coalition with the left. Salon and The Nation have also run pieces entertaining a left-side embrace of states' rights.
Much like columnist Radley Balko, I don't think I'm gonna hold my breath for this to happen, but I thought it was an interesting commentary anyway. I'm not gonna c-and-p the whole thing, but here's some of the basics of it.
Strong States' Rights Not Likely Key to Left, Right Unity
In those 10 years, as the Right has grown more powerful in American politics, it has also abandoned its traditional support for a restrained federal government — the principle of federalism upon which the U.S. was founded — in favor of an activist federal government that promotes conservatism.
...
However, committed states-righters and libertarians can take heart. Apparently, federalism is not dead. The left, long proponents of big, activist federal government, finding itself unquestionably in the minority, is discovering the virtues of federalism. Facing what could be the lengthy reign of a conservative government, many blue-staters are thinking hard about the advantages of local rule.
...
Liberal Swarthmore historian Timothy Burke ... suggested that the left abandon the idea of an influential federal government that dictates top-down policy for the entire country in favor of allowing blue-state jurisdictions to live by blue-state policy and red-state jurisdictions to live by red-state policy.
He isn't alone. University of Michigan Professor Juan Cole suggested on his Web site that the best way for Democrats to defuse hot-button cultural issues such as gay marriage is to privatize the institution, a position long held by libertarians.
Crooked Timber's Belle Waring went a step further, openly courting libertarians to join a coalition with the left. Salon and The Nation have also run pieces entertaining a left-side embrace of states' rights.