The Disunited States Essay, Research Paper

Article 12:The Disunited States

According to the article, the majority of the nation seems to be pro-devolution, or for returning power from the federal government to state governments on several issues. The author gives several reasons for devolution and against it, but overall he thinks that devolution would be a major mistake for the nation and proposes that we instead readjust the federal government to meet the needs of today.

There are several reasons given for devolution of the federal government, the first is that a single state could be used as a laboratory to try new economic and social ideas, being that if it didn?t work it would not affect the nation as a whole. Competition between states is another reason given for devolution. Interstate competition would produce more creative and diligent ways to carry out the task of government. And last, as responsibilities flow to state governments, public sector efficiency will increase.

Next the author goes on to give his reasons against devolution. The first reason is that it would have no effect on the public dept; devolution would only cause a cut in federal spending by less than half a percent. Devolution would also worsen the odds of prosperity by making unskilled labor jobs harder to come by. The last reason the author gives against is that it will cause interstate rivalries by making states compete for citizens causing lower and lower tax rates between cities making it harder for the state governments to operate.

Instead of total devolution the author suggest that the federal government be reshaped by 5 different ways in order to meet the needs of today. The first is to devolve, but only in areas where the state would do a better job. Two, restore federal primacy in anti poverty policy, being that the federal government would do a better job. Three, recognize states? limits as stewards of education. Four, curb competition for business and five, fix the federal government.

I agree with the author in that I think total devolution would be a mistake for the nation. I believe that in some areas, such as education, it would have a better effect, but in others , such as welfare, the federal government is more adept at handeling.