Alan,
That is exactly what I was saying. The argument over the amount of power the 'central' or 'united' government is allowed has been argued since the first documents were signed. No one is ever going to be 100% in agreement with all that is designated a States right When people have enough power to sway others, they go on to be elected and added to the 'central' governments rolls so they can use that power. IE: Mandatory Health Care as today's example. We have a few 'George W's" (Wallace) who were/are still understanding the role of the 'central' govt. is not to mandate everything. I do hope she (with a B not P), or at least one of 'them' takes a stab at the big job next go round. The 'Federal, or Central' Government has obtained more power over the individual citizen in today's world than the States have. Some reasons fall into the line of events shown in the timeline in the early half of the 1900's. Some states were either too overwhelmed, lazy, on the 'dole' or working like rats to chew the foundation right out from under the owners of the big house. The World Wars, The Great Depression, The Civil Rights Movement, all contributed to the condition I call 'Overgovernmentitis'. The people were so proud of the job the Central government did in the war efforts and some believed the central government ended the Great Depression (why they just cannot give 'people', not 'central' government credit for this is a mystery to me) so they figured the Central Govt. was doing what it was meant to do. No problem. Then came George W. in Alabama. He understood the line. He understood the limited role the Central Govt. was supposed to have. It may be for all the wrong reasons, but he stuck to his guns til a gun was aimed at him.
South Carolina was a "Rogue" state in 1860. Even some of the other states in the Confederation were concerned they were going to tip the apple cart. They did. The result of this was, after the war, Martial Law. The citizens may have seethed in private but were obliged to cover it up in public. By the time Martial Law faded into the background (never left the premise though) it was so ingrained that anything had to be ok'd by the 'Central' government it was easy for the 'Central' government to assume the role the States should have had. Those in the states not under Martial Law weren't having any real problem. The 'Central' government left them alone, for the most part. They were getting their people elected. What's to complain about if you are one of those states?
Today, we have the same problem we had in 1860. Disagreement over where the 'line of demarkation' is on control of the States power. Toss in a couple of generations of voters who have had little to no real history taught to them, we're in the same pickle barrel. Those immigrants who now go through the legal channel to obtain citizenship learn more on the government of the US than the native born. That's the pity of it. Too many are willing to allow the 'Central' government full control. Any argument on the 'Central' governments limit in power goes to the Supremes. I see the lifetime term as a little much, but they were given that in the beginning to 'keep' them unbiased and focused on only the 'Central' governments role. Well we all know they owed their job, or soul to someone and those someones, for the most part, were for more Central governemnt. The system has erroded so much we have those who are named to fill in a slot in that court who make some citizens not quite comfortable in the idea they may be worthy. It doesn't matter what Joe or Jill Citizen believes, we all see them skate in even if there's a problem. The only thing that may stop them is a problem with money or documented breaking of a law. Then, they're not really in trouble, they just may not get the job. The other areas of the 'Central' government are even more beholding to the 'Central' government. When the Secretary of the Treasury owes the treasury and he's still given the job, here's your sign. When a long time member of one of the branches fails to follow the law we all must follow and he only gets a bit of a dressing down with those doing the dressing not really wanting to do it, here's your sign. When someone who was not on the ballot in some states is elected to be President of those States, there should have been a billboard put up. We are now in a parallel line with the Confederate States vs. Central Government except some states were not in the original Confederacy. This makes understanding the 'big' picture a whole lot easier. The Central Government has to be reminded, it works for us, the citizens of states.
Pam