Since the election succession has been in the news. This is based on a few online petitions
posted on a White House web site. Rest
assured that these petitions are not going to lead to anything. The White House may or may not even comment
on them. It does show that there is a
discontentment with the way the Federal government is working, but it will take
a lot more than this for succession to be a real issue. It does raise some question about the
relationship of the States and the Federal government.
It is an easy case to make that the Federal government has
been growing in power and size since around the 1920s (maybe longer). The State lose a little power everything the
Federal government increases theirs. The balance of power issue does seem to be
reaching somewhat of a tipping point. If
the Federal government continues to grow at some point the States will cease to
be a government, but an institution to carrying out the policies of the Federal
government at the State level. Once this
happens it will truly be a point of no return.
The States are already dealing with these issues. They are already forced to enforce and fund
policies set by the Federal government.
States will soon reach the point where they will have to raise taxes to
fund things passed by the Federal government.
Will we reach a point where the States will resent that this? Will State leaders get tired of putting their
elections up just to satisfy decisions made by their Federal level
counterparts?
Today’s political class is first most concerned with getting
re-elected. Raising taxes doesn't play
well with most voters. What recourse do
the States have? They won’t be able to
count on the courts. The courts have
long erred on the side of affirming the power grab by the Federal
government. So will States start talking
about succession?
More than likely they will push down, like they are being
pushed down on. The States will start putting
more controls on the monies they spend.
They don’t have the money to fund the Federal policies and educations
for example. They will claim for the
good of the children that the system needs to be reformed. Restriction and requirements will be put
around funds. Things like tenure will be
removed in the name of trimming dead weight, but it will also serve as a way to
control costs. The local school board
will be nothing more than a figure head.
While it is pretty clear the petitions for succession will
go next to nowhere. It is possible the States
will push for it as their power and influence is threatened. It is just a likely that they will push into
a new role and find their power in other places.