States’ Rights in Three Minutes!

 

To mark the launch of my new book, A Less Perfect Union: The Case for States’ Rights, the good people over at the Wall Street Journal had me in for an interview with Mary Kissel on the Opinion Journal show.  Here’s the clip – it’s only three minutes (about as long as it takes to recite Congress’s enumerated powers) – but gives a good overview of the book.

Published in Law, Literature
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  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Congratulations on the new book. May it prosper you and your ideas.

    • #1
  2. The King Prawn Inactive
    The King Prawn
    @TheKingPrawn

    I’m a for not removing the money from the states and running through the sieve of the federal behemoth in the first place.

    • #2
  3. Kate Braestrup Member
    Kate Braestrup
    @GrannyDude

    This looks like a great book—and you looked terrific in the interview, too.

    • #3
  4. Adam Freedman Member
    Adam Freedman
    @AdamFreedman

    The King Prawn:I’m a for not removing the money from the states and running through the sieve of the federal behemoth in the first place.

    Me too.  In the book, I argue for letting the states keep their money.  But I mentioned block grants at the end of the interview because I only had a few seconds, and it’s an idea that will be familiar to a lot of viewers.  I also think it’s achievable and moves us in the right direction — not as far as I would like to go, but progress.

    • #4
  5. Concretevol Thatcher
    Concretevol
    @Concretevol

    Sounds great Adam. I have been convinced for some time that federalism is our last chance to push back against the federal government behemoth. Can’t wait to check out the book.

    • #5
  6. Max Ledoux Coolidge
    Max Ledoux
    @Max

    Good job, Adam!

    Here in in New Hampshire at our last town meeting we had a contentious fight over whether to build a new library (new, as in we already had one). One of the reasons given for why we should spend $2.5MM on a new library was that our current (perfectly good) library does not have ramps or wide enough doors, and so we’re not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and therefore not eligible for federal funds. Of course, I think that this is a good thing. I don’t want the federal government telling our town how to run our library. I missed that part of the Constitution, but I guess it’s in there somewhere. Anyway, thankfully the measure for the new library failed.

    • #6
  7. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    Great interview.

    • #7
  8. Adam Freedman Member
    Adam Freedman
    @AdamFreedman

    Kate Braestrup:This looks like a great book—and you looked terrific in the interview, too.

    You’re too kind!

    • #8
  9. Adam Freedman Member
    Adam Freedman
    @AdamFreedman

    Max Ledoux:Good job, Adam!

    Here in in New Hampshire at our last town meeting we had a contentious fight over whether to build a new library (new, as in we already had one). One of the reasons given for why we should spend $2.5MM on a new library was that our current (perfectly good) library does not have ramps or wide enough doors, and so we’re not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and therefore not eligible for federal funds. Of course, I think that this is a good thing. I don’t want the federal government telling our town how to run our library. I missed that part of the Constitution, but I guess it’s in there somewhere. Anyway, thankfully the measure for the new library failed.

    A perfect example of federal fiscal coercion — and usually the state and local lawmakers will do anything they can to maximize federal funding.  So hats off to your town for resisting the siren song of federal funds – and the pernicious conditions that come with them.

    • #9
  10. BigDumbJerk Member
    BigDumbJerk
    @BigDumbJerk

    I’m surprised the vultures from the feddle gummit haven’t already swooped in and forced the issue towards mandatory compliance by now, additional monies or no…

    • #10
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