The United State was always " A Grand Experiment"

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

It's amazing that it has hung together for as long as it has without splintering or balkanizing.

I wish that we could agree to a concept whereby individual states could "opt" to be part of the "Common Federation" or not. (NOTE: We would still remain a single country, this is just a sub-grouping so that like minded states can band together for common goals.) Every state in the Common Federation would: pay higher tax rates than what we have now, probably a LOT higher, but would have those monies directed towards:

a universal single payer health option, extremely reduced tuitions at state universities, mass transit projects, affordable housing initiatives and state/federal controlled utilities.

The states that opt out of the Common Federation could pay lower taxes and forgo everything stated above in favor of private enterprise.

Everything else would remain the same. My point is, we were always a crap shot and an experiment, why can't we continue to find ways to re-imagine ourselves as a country? Are we just so complacent and boring ( a far cry from our brave, revolutionary forefathers who DARED TO DREAM about a "more perfect union) that we can't imagine improvements to the staus quo, much less implement them?

It seems like political theory and philosophy stopped with Ayn Rand and the Straussians. Where's the Liberal answer to our current social conumdrums and and rising corporatism?

[Adsos Letter]

1. Ever read "Habits of the Heart" by Robert Bellah?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. I have never heard of it. Do you recommend it?

Excuse, me, but are you the DUer who makes archeology posts? I love those!

[Adsos Letter]

3. I am that DUer...

And i do recommend Bellah's book. I don't agree with his solutions, but I found his assessment of the roots of America's current fixation on a destructive "radical individualism" very interesting.

:hi:

Edit: Perhaps Bellah should assess my spelling... :dunce:

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

4. Thanks so much. I will seek it out and read it.

I'm in the mood for mind stretching. :hi:

[JonQ]

5. That is the basis for federalism

to some extent, let states experiment with their own ways of doing things, but avoid forcing the entire country down a path that may prove disastrous (better to screw up one state than 50).

I suppose in theory states could get together and do a joint effort, I don't see anything preventing that. It just hasn't been done yet.

[struggle4progress]

6. Like-minded states can already band together for a common cause: the mechanism

(an interstate compact) is recognized by the Constitution, which requires consent of Congress

<edit:> Const Art I Sec 10 No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, ... enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State ...

[GeorgeGist]

7. Perhaps you've heard of the 'Civil War'?

It ended the notion of a PUBLIC OPTION in the Grand Experiment.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

9. Notice I wasn't suggesting dissolving the Republic?

I was just attempting to address creatively a schism within our society. It's the old Blue State/Red State divide and it does definitely reside along a philosophical divide about what role government should play.

Everyone always acts like it has to be one or the other view meaning that we are dooming ourselves to close to half of the country at any one time feeling oppressed. I don't see why we could not create a market alliance among like minded states that were very very specific. We still could keep everything that unites us and possibly remove some of the barriers that divide us.

Are done as we currently exist? Are we fully baked? Is there nothing more or better to strive for?

[marmar]

8. If the Northeast, Great Lakes and Pacific Coast states formed a heathcare system.....

...... with the combined population numbers in those states, it could be pretty potent.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

10. That is exactly the kind of thing I am talking about.

Collaboratives of the willing.