I’d agree. I mean, we were the UNION. It is pretty interesting that most people saw themselves as members of their state before they saw themselves members of a nation. It is one reason our government is set up like it is, to prevent one state from bullying another or having too much say in what the Federal gov can do.
As you said, we have shifted both how we see ourselves, and the balance of power some. One thing I wonder, what if our spending was reversed? I am a firm believer in the closer one is to a problem, the better. What if the Federal taxes went to the state instead, and the state taxes went to the feds. This would only work if most of the social programs were broken up and each state took care of its own citizens. I’d start with it being an exact clone of the laws, but its possible programs could be tailored to do the most good within each state.
Of course maybe this wouldn’t work as one has the problem some states are poorer than others, so its possible they couldn’t support those programs on their taxes alone. Anyway - just day dreaming out loud.
