[dctoedt]

> state governments are not ones of enumerated powers. They inherited the plenary legislative power of the British parliament and can do whatever they want that’s not expressly prohibited. *** My secret left wing view is I think New York can regulate guns (but also Utah can make a state church).

That's certainly not an incoherent philosophical position.

EDIT: In this view, it sounds as though each U.S. state would be more like one of the member countries of the EU than, say, cantons in Switzerland or counties in England.