Mike Cash
New Member
The states don't have powers which are granted them by the federal government; the federal government has powers which were ceded it by the states. A federal system is a "bottom-up" arrangement while a national government is a "top-down" arrangement. The states delegate to the federal government the sole authority to carry out certain specific and enumerated functions on behalf of all the states. All other functions and powers are reserved by the states unto themselves.
To ask why the federal government shouldn't legislate helmet law is to fail to recognize the whole point of the nature of a federal government versus a national government. "Legislate every aspect of our daily lives" was not one of the powers the states handed over to the federal government. The federal government has gone so hog-wild usurping power and the education system has done such a crap job teaching civics that sadly very few people upon hearing a proposal that the federal government take action regarding X will even pause to ask that very important question: "How is this a function of the federal government?" A prime example of that would be your hypothetical situation where the federal government mandates the states all make a decision one way or the other on helmets. Under what authority do you propose they issue such a mandate?
To ask why the federal government shouldn't legislate helmet law is to fail to recognize the whole point of the nature of a federal government versus a national government. "Legislate every aspect of our daily lives" was not one of the powers the states handed over to the federal government. The federal government has gone so hog-wild usurping power and the education system has done such a crap job teaching civics that sadly very few people upon hearing a proposal that the federal government take action regarding X will even pause to ask that very important question: "How is this a function of the federal government?" A prime example of that would be your hypothetical situation where the federal government mandates the states all make a decision one way or the other on helmets. Under what authority do you propose they issue such a mandate?