On Sun, 4 Oct 2015 18:28:31 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:




It's not any big surprise that the role of the federal government has
grown by necessity since the original concept of 13 basically
independent states under the general umbrella of a weak federal alliance
was established in 1781 and then became the US Constitution in 1789
replacing the original Articles of Confederation. In those days an
average citizen born in Pennsylvania probably never left the state in
his/her lifetime and never came across someone from Delaware,
Massachusetts or Georgia.

Obviously, things have changed since then and it's unrealistic to think
the kind of state autonomy envisioned in those days can still work
effectively today. The fundamental concept remains but the role of the
federal government has had to grow. I don't think it's due to a
particular political persuasion. It's more due to necessity.


This is far more recent than the powdered wig days. In the late teens
1920s they understood that if you wanted this kind of sweeping law,
you needed to amend the constitution. FDR got spanked for creeping
federalism in the 30s. It abated until LBJ and particularly Nixon who
thought the fed was all powerful (with him holding the strings)

Since then the federal government has been out of control.