States rights was a ruse. The Republican Party was NEVER serious about it. States rights was the reverse engineered ideology that would support segregation in the South.
Good article. It’s not a surprise to me, I’ve watched state legislatures preempt local home rule for ages. Florida has been particularly bad. Banning bans of plastic straws, etc. It makes sense as these kinds of maga republicans move up the pole, they’d bring the same philosophy with them of top down rule. It’s really crazy though like a former mayor getting elected to the state legislator suddenly decides to take powers away from all the mayors? It’s nuts.
Remember in 2000 (recap from Federal News Network): "then Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) one of the most powerful men on Capitol Hill, called federal agents, acting on orders, jack-booted thugs. They were immigration officers who, depending on your point of view had either kidnapped or rescued a 6-year-old Cuban boy in Florida on orders from then-President Bill Clinton’s Attorney General Janet Reno."
Now we have masked thugs who may or may not be ICE or law enforcement. And the media has normalized this. States' rights, personal rights, due process rights are all swiftly going down the drain.
I've lived my whole live in Trumplandia, and I still do. But, of course, I've always been a Democrat. And to watch the GOP just blast right through all of their previous policy positions is uniquely shocking for me. Because, if it wasn't belief in federalism or strict adherence to the specific words of the constitution, then what really is/was the GOPs political philosophy? And I ask this question, kind of seriously. Even now (I'm trying to launch a campaign), I think the GOP has an easier message, they will say, "I'm for freedom, low taxes and small government." Except... they ain't. They have moved to take away individual freedoms, they have raised the taxes with these tariffs, and while they have shrunk the Federal Service, they made the government much more intrusive.
I guess I could shorten this all up a bit: Its all bullshit. It has been bullshit the entire time.
All of this was covered in the Mandate for Leadership from the Heritage Foundation, also known as Project 2025. Hidden behind Project 2025 is the 7 Mountains of Christian Dominionism political theory which calls for fundamentalist Christians, so-called Christian Nationalists, to completely take over the country.
Jonathan, Thank you for your reporting and commentary. Your piece is well written and informative. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean a thing to Republicans. They have always shown that the only people they care about are "their" people. To hell with the rest of us. Americans gave away their power to stop this so I hope their ready for what's coming.
Once again, the historical context is glaringly missing from this assessment: Republicans have always been in favor of “states’ rights for we and not for thee.”
This is the same party that was aggressively promoting a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The same party that says overturning Roe is just the first step to a nationwide ban on abortion. The same party that cries, screams, and sues blue states over sensible gun laws. The same party that wants to ban trans healthcare nationwide. The same party that talks about “liberating” Los Angeles and other blue states from their duly elected leadership. Going all the way back to the civil war, “states rights” only ever went in one direction, and only served to take away rights from the people they hate, not expanding them to others.
Every time ex-republicans lament about how the Republican party “abandoned” a core belief, they should take a pause and reflect on the party pre-Trump and ask themselves if they *really* abandoned their principles, or if maybe it’s the ex-Republicans who overlooked a lot of red flags and ignored inconvenient truths along the way.
For a layman like me, albeit a "plugged in" layman, this bill seems like what I used to hear referred to as a "Christmas tree bill". A bill where everyone adds their pet project and it sails through
Only this time, as you point out here, they abandoned their principles (again) and have said F-U to states rights
I honestly don't recognize my country anymore. Nothing makes sense. Up is down, left is right, and we argue about the color of the sky. SMH
- declared that FEMA should be abolished because states are better able to handle their own disasters than the federal government is;
and:
- deployed military troops into a state, over the governor's objections, claiming that the state's police forces were unable to handle protests involving a small amount of violence.
"States rights" has always just been a cudgel for both parties to fight federal policy they don't like. More Republican than Democrat but both parties abandon the concept as soon as they are in power
"States rights"..."activist judges"..."individual liberty"...they are all just excuses when Republicans are out of power. Even as a young teen, I remember being confused when Reagan, the great champion of limited Federal government, mandated 55 mph speed limits nationwide and if states didn't go along, they lost Federal highway dollars. A small example, but it's always stuck with me.
Florida is the perfect example and lab experiment....as soon as the Republicans sowed up power for the time being they started a crusade against higher education, corporations and local Democratic governments. Key West says no additional cruise ships for awhile to catch up facilities and utilities and DeSantis steps in and over rules the City to jam the Liberals and reward his cruise ship buddies. It was always about power, no principles or standards
Republicans never believed in States' Rights as a separate issue. It was always used as a means to maintain control of people and society. Now that they own the federal government, they can impose their power on everyone, so States' Rights has to go out the window. If the Democrats make a come back, then they'll take up States' Rights again. It's sort of like the national debt. Spending money they don't have is ok when they're in power, but otherwise it's a mortal sin.
States rights was a ruse. The Republican Party was NEVER serious about it. States rights was the reverse engineered ideology that would support segregation in the South.
Good article. It’s not a surprise to me, I’ve watched state legislatures preempt local home rule for ages. Florida has been particularly bad. Banning bans of plastic straws, etc. It makes sense as these kinds of maga republicans move up the pole, they’d bring the same philosophy with them of top down rule. It’s really crazy though like a former mayor getting elected to the state legislator suddenly decides to take powers away from all the mayors? It’s nuts.
Remember in 2000 (recap from Federal News Network): "then Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) one of the most powerful men on Capitol Hill, called federal agents, acting on orders, jack-booted thugs. They were immigration officers who, depending on your point of view had either kidnapped or rescued a 6-year-old Cuban boy in Florida on orders from then-President Bill Clinton’s Attorney General Janet Reno."
Now we have masked thugs who may or may not be ICE or law enforcement. And the media has normalized this. States' rights, personal rights, due process rights are all swiftly going down the drain.
Thank for this breakdown.
I've lived my whole live in Trumplandia, and I still do. But, of course, I've always been a Democrat. And to watch the GOP just blast right through all of their previous policy positions is uniquely shocking for me. Because, if it wasn't belief in federalism or strict adherence to the specific words of the constitution, then what really is/was the GOPs political philosophy? And I ask this question, kind of seriously. Even now (I'm trying to launch a campaign), I think the GOP has an easier message, they will say, "I'm for freedom, low taxes and small government." Except... they ain't. They have moved to take away individual freedoms, they have raised the taxes with these tariffs, and while they have shrunk the Federal Service, they made the government much more intrusive.
I guess I could shorten this all up a bit: Its all bullshit. It has been bullshit the entire time.
All of this was covered in the Mandate for Leadership from the Heritage Foundation, also known as Project 2025. Hidden behind Project 2025 is the 7 Mountains of Christian Dominionism political theory which calls for fundamentalist Christians, so-called Christian Nationalists, to completely take over the country.
Jonathan, Thank you for your reporting and commentary. Your piece is well written and informative. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean a thing to Republicans. They have always shown that the only people they care about are "their" people. To hell with the rest of us. Americans gave away their power to stop this so I hope their ready for what's coming.
Once again, the historical context is glaringly missing from this assessment: Republicans have always been in favor of “states’ rights for we and not for thee.”
This is the same party that was aggressively promoting a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. The same party that says overturning Roe is just the first step to a nationwide ban on abortion. The same party that cries, screams, and sues blue states over sensible gun laws. The same party that wants to ban trans healthcare nationwide. The same party that talks about “liberating” Los Angeles and other blue states from their duly elected leadership. Going all the way back to the civil war, “states rights” only ever went in one direction, and only served to take away rights from the people they hate, not expanding them to others.
Every time ex-republicans lament about how the Republican party “abandoned” a core belief, they should take a pause and reflect on the party pre-Trump and ask themselves if they *really* abandoned their principles, or if maybe it’s the ex-Republicans who overlooked a lot of red flags and ignored inconvenient truths along the way.
For a layman like me, albeit a "plugged in" layman, this bill seems like what I used to hear referred to as a "Christmas tree bill". A bill where everyone adds their pet project and it sails through
Only this time, as you point out here, they abandoned their principles (again) and have said F-U to states rights
I honestly don't recognize my country anymore. Nothing makes sense. Up is down, left is right, and we argue about the color of the sky. SMH
Within a couple of days, Trump:
- declared that FEMA should be abolished because states are better able to handle their own disasters than the federal government is;
and:
- deployed military troops into a state, over the governor's objections, claiming that the state's police forces were unable to handle protests involving a small amount of violence.
"States rights" has always just been a cudgel for both parties to fight federal policy they don't like. More Republican than Democrat but both parties abandon the concept as soon as they are in power
It’s an honor to be hated by the Felon and the DC Den of Thieves.
"States rights"..."activist judges"..."individual liberty"...they are all just excuses when Republicans are out of power. Even as a young teen, I remember being confused when Reagan, the great champion of limited Federal government, mandated 55 mph speed limits nationwide and if states didn't go along, they lost Federal highway dollars. A small example, but it's always stuck with me.
The do have one core principle: The suffering is the point.
Florida is the perfect example and lab experiment....as soon as the Republicans sowed up power for the time being they started a crusade against higher education, corporations and local Democratic governments. Key West says no additional cruise ships for awhile to catch up facilities and utilities and DeSantis steps in and over rules the City to jam the Liberals and reward his cruise ship buddies. It was always about power, no principles or standards
States rights when they are not in charge. Federal powers when they are except red states depending on the issue. Fascism.
Republicans never believed in States' Rights as a separate issue. It was always used as a means to maintain control of people and society. Now that they own the federal government, they can impose their power on everyone, so States' Rights has to go out the window. If the Democrats make a come back, then they'll take up States' Rights again. It's sort of like the national debt. Spending money they don't have is ok when they're in power, but otherwise it's a mortal sin.