Reply #9: I think you're absolutely correct.

[calmblueocean]

For the longest time, we've let conservatives define us as "big government" liberals, when it's the conservatives who need, use, and abuse big government the most. They use it to give multibillion no-bid contracts to their wealthy buddies; they use it to force their morality on others by promoting Consitutional Amendments against gay marriage, flag burning, etc.; they use it to start wars of choice; they use it to bankrupt the budget with pork so that that eventually everything will be privatized.

I'd love to see some liberal candidates turn the traditional logic on its head and run on a states rights, local government platform. Make it against the law for the Federal gov't to use National Guard troops without the governor's permission. Make it a requirement that, even with the governor's permission, any action using state National Guard troops for out-of-state purposes triggers an automatic referendum on their use after 90 days have passed.

Let's start defunding the federal government and allowing individual states to negotiate the use of that money between themselves. No more waiting for a red state dominated Congress to pass national health care -- the blue states can pool their money and do it on their own, for their combined citizenry. Take away the welfare for the red states. If they want to keep their roads in shape, they can come to the blue states and ask them for help. And we'll be glad to do so, so long as they recognize our values in their laws.

It's taken me a while to get to this place. Having a strong federal government has been important for enforcing civil rights in the past. But the problem is that just as the federal gov't can be used to do good things when good people are in power, it can be used to commit atrocities when bad people are in power. And I'm tired of sitting here watching as my government commits atrocities with my money, in my name.

There's a strong case to be made for local government liberalism. I think it's time we made it.