In a recent discussion, a libertarian in favor of an expansive reading of the 14th Amendment and the power of the federal government to “supervise” the states asked, “In a federal system, the federal government has restrictions placed on its powers, but it also has powers to protect rights. Otherwise, what justifiction could there be for it at all?” In other words, the writer argues that if the federal Constitution lists a right, this is not only a limitation on what the federal government can do, but also a grant of power to the federal government to prevent other states … Continue reading Jefferson on Federalism