state sovereignty or the United States?

Time to Rethink State Sovereignty: A Unified Nation Needs Unified Policies

The United States prides itself on being a single, indivisible nation, yet the concept of state sovereignty often undermines that unity. While the notion of states acting as semi-independent entities made sense in the eighteenth century, it feels outdated and inefficient in today’s interconnected world. The question is simple: what’s so “sovereign” about a state?

The Historical Legacy

When the U.S. was founded, states were treated almost like small countries, each with its own identity and priorities. The fear of a central government becoming tyrannical drove the creation of a system where states retained significant control. This compromise allowed the fledgling nation to come together while maintaining a sense of local autonomy.

But let’s be honest—this isn’t the eighteenth century anymore. States aren’t sovereign nations. Florida isn’t France, and California isn’t Canada. The very idea of "sovereignty" within a unified country is contradictory. In practice, it’s the federal government that props up states, whether through funding for roads, schools, or disaster relief. Without federal support, many states would struggle to function at all.

The Cost of Fragmentation

The consequences of clinging to state sovereignty are clear. Inconsistent laws on everything from healthcare to consent for recording conversations create confusion and inequality. Why should a person’s rights change just because they cross a state line? Should basic human issues like education, healthcare, and worker protections really be left to fifty separate governments, some of which make objectively poor decisions?

We’ve seen time and again how state sovereignty allows harmful policies to persist. From Jim Crow laws to recent attacks on voting rights, states have often been the source of injustice rather than progress. When change comes, it’s usually because the federal government steps in to enforce basic rights.

The Fear of Federal Power

So why do people cling to state sovereignty? The answer often boils down to fear—fear of federal overreach, fear of losing control, fear of tyranny. But history doesn’t back up these fears. Major federal actions, like desegregation or abolishing slavery, have addressed systemic injustices and moved the country forward. There’s little evidence that federal power is inherently tyrannical; in fact, it often corrects state-level failures.