Tuesday, June 26, 2012

26 June 2012 States’ Rights Wrong Again



Cassi Creek:  The Supreme Court, in a mostly rational decision, smacked the hands of the Arizona legislators who presumed to place the state above the federal government concerning immigration policies.  The court affirmed that immigration policies are the concern of the nation, not 50 little satrapies displaying 50 different degrees of bigotry.  Arizona’s attempts to deny Latinos entry to their state, beyond that number necessary for manual labor and housemaid duties, were soundly rebuked by the Justices.
          Once again, the actions of bigots and racists are being whitewashed under the cloak of evil invisibility that is commonly referred to as “states’ rights.”  Dating back to before the nation was formalized; there has been a continual struggle between those of us who favor a strong federal government, and those who are more at home with the idea of 50 independent satrapies with 50 different immigration, education, and other policies that may often be at odds to the federal position.  The states commonly referred to as “red states,” including those of the old confederacy; seem to demand a return to the society and culture that was the antebellum South.
          Justice Scalia made a statement intimating that if Obama administration policies had been in effect in 1858, Arizona would not have joined the U.S.  Mr. Justice Scalia would have been quite content in a United States that was badly fragmented and at war with itself. Such lack of central authority and oversight makes it much less difficult to engage in graft and other illegal means of increasing one’s wealth while blocking the development of a viable middle class. 

No comments:

Post a Comment