On Thompson's Federalism

Clay Cramer and I agree on this--but he wrote it first.

...Thompson, of course, wants judges to do their job--which isn't finding a right to same-sex marriage or abortion hiding inside the Fourteenth Amendment.

I know that there are religious conservatives who aren't happy with Thompson for these reasons. But my view on this very simple. Freedom of state governments to make their own decisions (unless clearly contrary to the state or federal constitution) is a fundamental conservative principle. Sometimes the results are unfortunate (Oregon's euthanasia law, California's medical marijuana law). But I would rather have 50 states making their own decisions, even if the results are sometimes flawed or stupid, than have the federal government impose its will. A government strong enough to impose one morality is strong enough to impose one immorality.

Or to put in more direct terms: a federal government with authority to prohibit the state legislatures from recognizing same-sex marriage also has authority to require state legislatures to recognize same-sex marriage. A federal government with authority to ban abortion in every state also has authority to require every state to allow and fund abortion.

Which is another way of saying that it's a helluvalot easier to influence your legislator in Madistan than the one you sent to DC.

Or, as I've said before, if you want to elect a "savior-President," you're in the wrong country.

And, by the way, that particular theory-of-Presidents (saviors) has been pimped by both the Republicans and the Democrats, albeit more by the Dems (since Roosevelt or so...)