Quote Originally Posted by Pindar
Sorry, I thought it was rhetorical. The division between local, state and national government is primarily for efficiency's sake. It is hierarchical. No lower governmental entity is autonomous and subject only to its own will. The city is beholden to the state. The state is beholden to the Federal Government. This does not mean the state has no recourse, there are self-limiting provisions. They do not apply in this instance.
It's not more efficient. My taxes are paying for three sets of autocrats, when in reality only one is worth listening to. If all the local government does is bow to the state, who in turn bends over for the federal government, what on Earth am I paying the two middle men for?

Geez Pindar, even assuming you're right, what kind of a mess do we have in our country? We have a system where annointed judges trump congress & the white house, who trump the state, who trump the local government, who have infinitely more rights than the individual taxpayer. And you call this representational? If what you've said is true, how far we have fallen. That's not at all the system mapped out in the original constitution, but I'll grant you, it is damn good for you lawyers. But if what you say is true, don't say we have a representational republic. The only difference between us and China is that they have one party dominating people's lives, we have two.

No offense, your legal opinion is much more qualified than mine, that's all it is, your legal opinion. I sure hope you're wrong. And what kind of conservative are you that you think concentrating all the power in priestly caste up in DC is such a terrific idea?