hi dig,
funny thing is, devolution of powers to the states is not a silly idea where it makes sense.
but the caveat is important.
there are things that make more sense at a federal level and other things that make more sense at a state level. having a road on one side of a state line consistent with one on the other side seems like one of these things.
the problem comes when folks think the one is somehow infinitely desirable at the expense of the other. and they try to make the world conform to their principle. voici mitt and his idea about fema. it must be a bad idea to have fema be federal. the principle of states rights say so!
see the same thing with property rights. yes, we all want them. but there are also useful things called public goods and harmful things called negative externalities which don't fit the dogma. if you own the river upstream of me and pour the poison from your factory into it, my trout farm is going to get harmed. if i want to run a straight road from one city to another and your farm is in the middle and in the way, mayhap the common good is more important than the integrity of your fences.
some folks want their principles to be whole and inviolable. but virtue seems to prefer her principles diced.
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