Originally Posted by
Downtime
You are correct. That said the feds have a considerable amount of influence and can leverage it. A clear message goes a long way. Or they can always nudge with the purse strings. Just like the drinking age of 21 is not a federal law all 50 states adopted it because it was either adopt it or no interstate money for you.
Agreed. The States have been an active part of the enlargement of the Federal government. Even more so after the 16th Amendment created a new and larger revenue stream for the Fed, which the States could tap into, without directly taxing their own people.