The federal government isn’t simply bleeding money. Because of its addiction to red ink, it’s bleeding power, which is starting to flow away from the nation’s capital and out to the states. This is the little-recognized reality behind the remarkable political upheaval being seen in state capitals.
Republican governors such as Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, New Jersey’s Chris Christie and Indiana’s Mitch Daniels are pursuing their own controversial fiscal policies out of what they consider financial necessity; they have budgets to balance, and little time and few options to do the job. But governors of both parties also have less reason to wait and hope for help from a federal government that, with overwhelming budget deficits, is losing its ability to offer financial goodies to the states.
For decades, the implicit deal between Washington and state capitals has been that the feds would offer chunks of cash, and in return would get commensurate influence over the states’ social policies. Now that flow of federal goodies has begun what figures to be a long-term decline, as the money Washington has available to pass around to the states is squeezed.
I think the flow of power from Washington D.C. to the states may not
be a bad thing, but the decision-making (i.e. power) on the vital
financial aspects must never be ceded to AFSCME or other unions
representing public-sector employees. This would be disastrous in that
it would allow unelected union officials to make financial raids against
the working electorate. This is an enormous temptation for the unions
– the prospect of exercising power without needing to exercise
responsibility. It must be stoutly resisted.
Kill public sector unions, sorry, was that hate-speach?