[999900000999]

At this point why don’t we just go back to the Articles of Confederation.

If we accept the federal government can’t do anything what are we paying taxes for? Get rid of social security too, I’m not going to make it to whatever stupidly high age they raise retirement to.

I used to be a big government liberal, but the problem is eventually people you disagree with start running super government.

[paulryanrogers]

The federal government does an amazing number of things despite some inefficiencies. FEMA, FDA, EPA, SEC, FTC, FCC, national defense, interstate highways, border security (for better and worse), social security, Medicaid, Medicare, maintain embassies, foreign diplomacy, etc. As these things are gutted their absence or lack of capacity will be felt for decades.

[999900000999]

I’m thinking these responsibilities can be shifted to the states. That’s defacto what’s going to happen as the federal government keeps cutting services.

If I want to live in a high tax state with a social safety net, cool. Others can move to Mississippi pay no taxes and brag about how they have a higher GPD than Spain ignoring the actual quality of life is much worse

[paulryanrogers]

Good for them I guess. I prefer a country where I don't have to move as the political winds change, just to maintain rights and benefits my ancestors fought for.

[int_19h]

There's no such country. Authoritarianism is always around the corner, because the only thing that really prevents society from slipping into it is broad social consensus that it's undesirable, and you can't guarantee that it will remain long term. Constitutions etc fundamentally are just pieces of paper; they matter only to the extent people choose to believe they do.

[fzeroracer]

I don't disagree with you, but it's the political reality of the situation being foisted upon us with violence by the far right. That was one of the reasons why I left Texas ASAP in late 2022 when I saw the winds changing.

The systems are cracking and breaking and I think the only outcome is going to be balkanization.

[int_19h]

Fun fact: Canadian healthcare system, which generally tends to be the envy of US liberals, originated on provincial level and is still run primarily by the provinces.