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Probably, why is there such a distinction between state legislation and federal regulation for you?


I'm not sure if some of the specific details and evolution of the United States federal goverment get lost overseas or with people who don't particularly care, so Iet me throw out a response to this.

The U.S. Constitution specifies the powers of Congress, the limits on Congress, the limits on the States, and in Amendment 10 says "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

The importance of the state goverments is easily missed, especially when they are very much overshadowed by the size of the federal goverment.

Personally, I think that many of us (Americans) kick tough issues to the state level as a way of dodging the issue or at least pretending/hoping that by dealing with it at the state level there might be a way for most people to accept the results.

On the other hand, I think there's an arguement to be made that after many years of increasing federal power the pendulum might be slowing down and power of the individual states might be beginning to increase.

--Nathan