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> This is why America was conceived to be a country where the central government can only exercise enumerated powers; > because the framers knew that every or

by vkou 3y ago

> This is why America was conceived to be a country where the central government can only exercise enumerated powers; > because the framers knew that every organization eventually becomes run (at one point or all subsequent points) by corrupt, evil people. That doesn't logically follow, given that the state governments can exercise more than just enumerated powers. And at the moment, quite a few of them are really, really fucking evil, with a few more being highly corrupt. It makes a lot more sense when you view that separation of power as a compromise made to deal with the problem <one 'evil, corrupt'[1] federal organization in conflict with another 'evil, corrupt'[1] state organization>[2] as opposed to some weird conflict between <'evil, corrupt' federal government versus the people (but the 'evil, corrupt' state governments get a free pass or something..?)>. The question of 'who gets residual powers' isn't some 250 IQ bit of brilliant statesmanship and foresight, it's a just a decision that quite honestly, has gone either way in plenty of different countries, and none of them are in any quantifiable way worse off for it. [1] Your words, not mine. I think it's a pretty childish moniker devoid of all nuance, but when in Rome... [2] Which is actually the lens through which the founders viewed things. [3] [3] And they have been proven so, so wrong by history. As it turns out, in a high-speed communication society, party unity tends to override these kind of extra-organizational struggles. It's why the party of states rights complaints incessantly about federal tyranny, but only when it doesn't control the presidency.

4RealFreedom 3y ago
The federal government's powers are enumerated while everything else is left to the states. You may not like that the OP presented the federal government as corrupt but that doesn't negate the point. There is no accountability at the federal level. The federal government has turned into a mess of alphabet agencies whose sole purpose is to grow. They are not elected but write the laws. Congress has abducted their responsibility. There is recourse at the state level.
- vkou 3y ago
  > Congress has abducted their responsibility Because it's happy with that state of affairs, and you keep voting them in. > There is recourse at the state level. No, there isn't. Not at the state level, nor at a more local level. We're at a point where even municipalities aren't able to rein in their police departments!
  - kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
    > Because it's happy with that state of affairs All it will take is an embarrassing data breach like Bork's video rental records and they'll pass legislation to cover their asses.
    - vkou 3y ago
      They won't care. They'll spin it as fake news, a political attack against them. I believe the phrase of the day is 'Election Interference'. The thing with being shameless is that scandal rolls off you like water off a duck's back.
  - 4RealFreedom 3y ago
    > you keep voting them in I do not keep voting these people in. > municipalities aren't able to rein in their police departments Where are you seeing this? Seems like there's been fairly significant changes and individual officers are being held accountable. I'm genuinely curious if you have examples. I believe you can more easily push change at the local level. Our federal government is a monstrous, unstoppable force.

by vkou 3y ago

4RealFreedom 3y ago

The federal government's powers are enumerated while everything else is left to the states. You may not like that the OP presented the federal government as corrupt but that doesn't negate the point. There is no accountability at the federal level. The federal government has turned into a mess of alphabet agencies whose sole purpose is to grow. They are not elected but write the laws. Congress has abducted their responsibility. There is recourse at the state level.

vkou 3y ago
> Congress has abducted their responsibility Because it's happy with that state of affairs, and you keep voting them in. > There is recourse at the state level. No, there isn't. Not at the state level, nor at a more local level. We're at a point where even municipalities aren't able to rein in their police departments!
- kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
  > Because it's happy with that state of affairs All it will take is an embarrassing data breach like Bork's video rental records and they'll pass legislation to cover their asses.
  - vkou 3y ago
    They won't care. They'll spin it as fake news, a political attack against them. I believe the phrase of the day is 'Election Interference'. The thing with being shameless is that scandal rolls off you like water off a duck's back.
- 4RealFreedom 3y ago
  > you keep voting them in I do not keep voting these people in. > municipalities aren't able to rein in their police departments Where are you seeing this? Seems like there's been fairly significant changes and individual officers are being held accountable. I'm genuinely curious if you have examples. I believe you can more easily push change at the local level. Our federal government is a monstrous, unstoppable force.