Do You Think The U.S State Government System Is Dated?

[GennGreymane]

As in the states, New York, California, Michigan, Montana, etc. Not the state as in nation state.

I feel it is starting to become outdated and needs an overhaul.

[Sunseeker]

I do think the entire US system needs revision. Conceptually it's sound, but the practice needs work.

[Kalis]

Yes, no, maybe.

Perhaps give some examples of what you mean, rather than use very broad terminology.

[Stormdash]

Even if they were, there's none with the power to reform or redesign any state's government other than the states' citizens. If you think this is something the federal government can even contemplate, you are dead wrong. By contrast, the states could get together in convention and completely scrap the federal government and start over from scratch, since they are the ones who invented it. But that relationship only works the one direction.

[GennGreymane]

Yes, no, maybe.

Perhaps give some examples of what you mean, rather than use very broad terminology.

Think criminal law. If you commit a crime in one state, it may not be the same crime in another. Its very odd.


Also our system has allowed certain states to dominate over all others. Think corporate law. Delaware dominates the nation. Delaware is also not accountable to the rest of the nation.

- - - Updated - - -

there's none with the power to reform or redesign any state's government other than the states' citizens

I am sure everyone on this forum who is aware of how the U.S governmental system works is aware of this. This is just an opinion thread. Remember that.

[Gamdwelf]

Think criminal law. If you commit a crime in one state, it may not be the same crime in another. Its very odd.


Also our system has allowed certain states to dominate over all others. Think corporate law. Delaware dominates the nation. Delaware is also not accountable to the rest of the nation.

States rights, each kinda gets to be their own little country in some regards.

We are a bunch of states that decided to unite for bigger things but we are still a group of states.

[GennGreymane]

States rights, each kinda gets to be their own little country in some regards.

We are a bunch of states that decided to unite for bigger things but we are still a group of states.

But do you have an opinion?

[Deleted]

I'd rather weaken the Federal government and give more power to the states.

[GennGreymane]

I'd rather weaken the Federal government and give more power to the states.

On what kind of issues?

[Deleted]

Not thinking about soecific issues but maybe a "free market" government for the lack of a better term. If you don't like what one state is doing, move to another and take your tax dollars with you.

[Sunseeker]

We are a bunch of states that decided to unite for bigger things but we are still a group of states.

That is only true for the original 13 colonies and Texas. The rest of the states were made out of existing US territory. The land was already part of the USA.

[Kalis]

Think criminal law. If you commit a crime in one state, it may not be the same crime in another. Its very odd.

I'm not really sure that it is outdated, more that it wasn't a good idea from the outset.

[GennGreymane]

Not thinking about soecific issues but maybe a "free market" government for the lack of a better term. If you don't like what one state is doing, move to another and take your tax dollars with you.

They already do that. Delaware corporate law is essentially the nations corporate law. However each state basically has to copy Delaware or risk losing corporations for better or worse. The problem is, Delawares government is only accountable to the people in Delaware and not the nation.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm not really sure that it is outdated, more that it wasn't a good idea from the outset.

It was a good idea at the time. States were far more essential when people were more isolated. But things are not like that anymore. I feel the system itself should be looked at to put more uniformity among the states. This does not necessarily mean giving power to the fed, but rather a soft restart.

[Stormdash]

I am sure everyone on this forum who is aware of how the U.S governmental system works is aware of this. This is just an opinion thread. Remember that.

Oh, that's the farthest from something I'd take for granted. Far too many are consummately ignorant of the American system of government in our own country because, frankly, it's simply not taught. That "how a bill becomes law" song is about as deep as it ever got for anyone educated by the government in the last 40 years or so unless they were specifically studying law or political science. So the premise alone makes me wary, especially if one's concern is, like yours, changing the influence held in national politics by any one or more states because the implication there is that it's a national issue to reform those states' systems.

[GennGreymane]

Oh, that's the farthest from something I'd take for granted. Far too many are consummately ignorant of the American system of government in our own country because, frankly, it's simply not taught. That "how a bill becomes law" song is about as deep as it ever got for anyone educated by the government in the last 40 years or so unless they were specifically studying law or political science. So the premise alone makes me wary, especially if one's concern is, like yours, changing the influence held in national politics by any one or more states because the implication there is that it's a national issue to reform those states' systems.

Thats fair, but state an opinion rather than going off a tangent over how this obviously hypothetical situation is not possible.

[Stormdash]

My opinion is rooted in the legal truth of the thing, that it's not of national concern to change the way state law operates in any particular state, it's up to that state. That's not a bug in our system, it's a feature.

[Deleted]

A stronger Federal government limits the choices of the citezens to chose how they are governed and I get that some people are in favor of that but I am not.

[GennGreymane]

My opinion is rooted in the legal truth of the thing, that it's not of national concern to change the way state law operates in any particular state, it's up to that state. That's not a bug in our system, it's a feature.

Now this reads more like an opinion.

It can be a national concern, we thought a civil war over some issues.

- - - Updated - - -

A stronger Federal government limits the choices of the citezens to chose how they are governed and I get that some people are in favor of that but I am not.

Not really. You are still bound by the federal government no matter which state you are in.

[zenkai]

Dead? You need local government to enforce laws and such

[GennGreymane]

Dead? You need local government to enforce laws and such

I dont see the word dead.