Gene Healy wrote about what he called Obama’s phony federalism but what he was really talking about was a relatively universal perspective on federalism:
Not yet a year into his administration, Obama’s record on 10th Amendment issues is already clear: He’ll let the states have their way when their policies please blue team sensibilities and he’ll call in the feds when they don’t. Thus, he’ll grant California a waiver to allow it to raise auto emissions standards, but he’ll bring the hammer down when the state tries to cut payments to unionized health care workers.
. . .
Just a few years back, the Republicans — nominally the party of federalism — were busily wielding federal power to enforce red state values . . . In that odd political climate, you often heard liberals lamenting the decline of states’ rights.
That strange new respect for the 10th Amendment lasted roughly as long as the blue team’s exile from power.
Federalism then, as understood by both major political parties is simply a tool to bash your opponents into conformity and then deflect their power from affecting you when you are on the defensive.
True federalism celebrates diversity. Not simply the kind of diversity promoted by the liberal social engineers, but the diversity of allowing individuals and communities to make their own choices and discover the consequences of those choices. That’s a far cry from the more widespread efforts to prevent others from making choices we disagree with while simultaneously trying to prevent ourselves from feeling anything but positive consequences for the choices we have or will make.
[quote]The phony federalism is another proof of what Judge Andrew Napolitano said (as Scott recently quoted):
We do not have two political parties in this country, America. We have one party; called the Big Government Party. The Republican wing likes deficits, war, and assaults on civil liberties. The Democratic wing likes wealth transfer, taxes, and assaults on commercial liberties. Both parties like power; and neither is interested in your freedoms.
To me federalism means that New York and California are welcome to have their permanent democratic majorities – and they should allow Utah and Texas to have their permanent Republican majorities. Not only that but I am allowed to join the Republican party and help ensure that this party no longer forgets the meaning of federalism – even when it once again gains actual political power (which it undoubtedly will at some point).
If you want to support diversity then support true federalism. Whether you choose to do that in the Republican party like me or in the Democratic party I will welcome and encourage the participation of all who recognize that diversity is a hallmark of liberty and liberty is the engine of prosperity.
