Why Are We Reinventing The Wheel?

I never understood why so many things are left to individual states or cities to legislate on when it seems like it is a federal issue. Sure, local governments are best equipped to rule over matters that only pertain to the community – specific roads, business districts, police, parks, etc. But on bigger issues such as marriage, gun-control, or drug legalization, why do we have 50 different sets of laws?

So many issues of one state impact another. For instance, gun control. I am proud that New York just passed the toughest and most comprehensive laws, on protecting safety. However, guns travel. What is the point of strengthening NY state when people from neighboring states or other party of the country can come here with a cachet of weaponry? Further, why would one state want to be less safe than another? Wouldn’t Texas citizens want the same protections as New Yorkers? IT seems to be a waste of time and money to have 50 separate arguments, over the same issues, especially on issues that demand uniformity, such as gay marriage. Imagine if some states still had slavery while some didn’t. We know how that worked out.

On the other hand, Congress has been useless on any issue of importance. Filibusters, deadlocks, gridlock, politics, and lack of unity have conspired to make Congress useless. Maybe the only way to see changes in at least some parts of the country is through referenda, state legislation, and unique executive orders by various governors.

Still, I’d like to see the United States of America act like it is united. Congress could not even get unanimous support for the finally passed $50 billion Hurricane Sandy relief. Over 180 Congressmen voted against it. How do you veto money to help a natural disaster when our nation always helps states recover from emergencies? We sooner send relief to other countries than we do our own states. The current Congress needs to learn that its role is to serve the people – not an ideology, not a political party, not a selfish grab for lobby money.

Until Congress accepts its responsibility with maturity we are forced to see the country splinter further, forcing individual states to take up issues best left to the federal government. Soon it won’t mean anything to be just increasingly matter because I am afraid not all states are equal or united.

We may not be fighting a civil war on the streets, but the cultural wars continue. Don’t be surprised if you see the Confederate Flag raised again by some. Apparently, history still has lessons to teach all of us.

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2013 ©