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I don't think those are good examples of states' rights legislation. Just because some NC Republican state Senators enacted a bathroom bill doesn't necessarily

I don't think those are good examples of states' rights legislation. Just because some NC Republican state Senators enacted a bathroom bill doesn't necessarily mean those Senators think the issue should be left to the states to decide, they could well prefer that their bathroom bill be made federal policy. Pushing legislation at the state or local level instead of federal can simply be a strategic decision rather than an ideological one. If US Senators pass bill that explicitly delegates something to the states to decide, that's an example of states rights. If US Senators back a bill that explicitly overrides state laws, that's an example of federal regulation. (It's actually interesting that you bring up the bathroom bill, because it actually is an example of centralizing power. The bill explicitly prevented local and city governments from adopting a different policy. Just an interesting aside.) > I think it’s fair to say Democrats would rather have centralized healthcare Obamacare specifically allows individual states to choose whether or not to participate in Medicaid expansion, and gives the money for Medicaid directly to the states to use as they see fit. That's a pretty clear example of states rights in action.

dragonwriter 9y ago
> Obamacare specifically allows individual states to choose whether or not to participate in Medicaid expansion Well, no. Pre-existing law allows states to choose whether or not to participate in Medicaid. The ACA made the expansion a core and integral part of Medicaid; the ability to stay in Medicaid but opt out of the expansion was a (rather bizarre) result of a lawsuit by States against the expansion. > and gives the money for Medicaid directly to the states to use as they see fit. No, the expansion isn't a block grant, it's an expansion to include a new population with a set federal-share reimbursement rate attached to that population.
- openasocket 9y ago
  I forgot the optional expansion part was only the result of a lawsuit, my mistake.

dragonwriter 9y ago

> Obamacare specifically allows individual states to choose whether or not to participate in Medicaid expansion Well, no. Pre-existing law allows states to choose whether or not to participate in Medicaid. The ACA made the expansion a core and integral part of Medicaid; the ability to stay in Medicaid but opt out of the expansion was a (rather bizarre) result of a lawsuit by States against the expansion. > and gives the money for Medicaid directly to the states to use as they see fit. No, the expansion isn't a block grant, it's an expansion to include a new population with a set federal-share reimbursement rate attached to that population.

openasocket 9y ago
I forgot the optional expansion part was only the result of a lawsuit, my mistake.