(Hmmm… Interesting… ; ) – promoted by atdleft)
Recently a renowned Political Economy Professor from the University of Maryland wrote an Op-Ed in the NYT, suggesgting that it might be time we took a careful look at our nation and how it operates. Political parties aside, has it just grown too big to be truly democratic?
How often can citizens from California make it to DC to protest a bad decision, pack a committee hearing where the future of the ANWR is being decided? How are elections decided, but by big media conglomerates, rather than citizens’ views of the candidates. How often do candidates come to California?
Continually, we find ourselves at odds with federal policy over global warming, gay rights, a woman’s right to choose, the war in Iraq and countless other issues. Meanwhile our roads are in disrepair, our schools are underfunded and our infrastructure is about 50 years old. Where is the federal government to help us when we need it? Spending $380 billion in Iraq, and counting. Perhaps it is time to reopen the debate over Federalism. What is the system that serves our nation best in 2007?
Should states still control presidential elections? Should we devolve other powers to each region–become some kind of EU in North America? Should California strike its own course? Should we cut California up into eight states to wield more power in the Senate?