reply to post by kro32
Hey Kro, sorry for the delayed response.
Granted, in the past when there was an established history of officially-sanctioned slavery (yes, even allowed at the federal level) and racial
prejudice, the states would of course have had some stupid laws on the books. However, as society was progressing, I have no doubt the civil-rights
movement would have occurred and resolved this regardless.
To counter, though, I would also request that you think about this logically for a moment and look at the horrendous history of atrocities and laws
carried out on the federal level. They've wasted hundreds of billions of dollars trying to centrally-manage drug laws to no effect other than ruining
likely hundreds of thousands of lives (at the least) and actually compounding the problem, as well as negatively impacting public education on a
national level. Their tinkering in the housing markets with aid of the Federal Reserve is directly implicated in the 2008 crash and our current
economic situation.
As far as standards for pollution and the like, and corporations bribing officials - please tell me you're kidding here. That this is exactly what's
happening now, except less effort is required as there are fewer people to bribe, and it's happening on a national level. There is an ongoing
revolving-door situation between corporations and federal regulatory agencies, which also kills innovation and competition in the markets as these
corporations bribe or otherwise buy off the regulatory agencies, causing them to introduce legislation that only impacts small/new competitors, all
the while turning a blind eye to any offense by said corporations if not simply gaming the system to benefit them directly otherwise. Then, in turn,
people from these 'regulatory' agencies are rewarded with plush jobs in these same corporations, while former members of the corporations go work for
the agencies that regulate them! With the interactions between government and big corporations at this point, we're very close to an actual situation
of fascism, and could more or less already be considered an established corporatocracy.
Additionally, as far as your concern with states setting their own standards - as an extension of the above we have an even stranger problem.
Sometimes states like to set certain standards, and then the federal agencies issue their own LESS-STRICT guidelines, which then by extension trump
the more stringent states' requirements and glad-hand the corporations. Everything you're afraid of is already happening, except it's being done
nationally with governmental blessing, and the states don't have a chance to counteract on a local level.
As far as the court system getting clogged up, easy enough. Introduce legislation to remove authority from federal courts to hear cases on issues
that the federal government has no jurisdiction to handle under the constitution - require the states to sort it out for themselves. Ron Paul has
already introduced such legislation for certain issues. Additionally, the Supreme Court REGULARLY refuses to hear all sorts of cases. Non-issue.
As far as the disappearance of civil rights? Of course not. I'm not familiar with David Duke's political views and aims (and otherwise could care
less about his personal feelings as long as he deals appropriately in the political realm), but I have more than enough faith in my fellow americans
to reject any such attempts in this day and age. It would effectively be political suicide to try to introduce any sort of racial prejudice on a
legislative level, and business suicide for any company trying to actively discriminate as well in the modern era. And at the least, if such
businesses somehow managed to find enough bigoted or uncaring customers to remain in business (which I doubt), it would be very handy for me to know
which companies I would no longer want to give MY personal business to.
Regardless of all this, the US Federal government simply does not have authority to do what they are doing, and they swore oaths. In doing so, they
limit our liberties and ruin our lives, and are far-enough removed from us that it is near impossible for us to redress these grievances (if you'll
recall, this was one of the problems that led to the Revolutionary War, as well). As such, they are oathbreakers en masse and men of little honor,
since they regularly violate their contract with the people by their actions and allowances - and us allowing it has driven this nation to the edge.
They overreach, and this needs to be corrected - and I truly believe doing so could once again return us to being free and brave, instead of willfully
controlled and too afraid to trust in ourselves and one another.
Take care.
edit on 8/6/2011 by Praetorius because: (no reason given)