Revolt of the Counties

Writes Greg Privette:

Hi Lew,

I read the recent Political Theatre link about the 21 New Mexico counties becoming 2nd Amendment sanctuaries. I also remember reading recently that many counties in eastern Washington state have taken similar steps.

Hopefully this is another step in the direction of decentralization. A baby step toward the Rothbardian ideal of the best political unit being the individual. I think between issues like gun control and fiscal insolvency the possibility of states fragmenting is increasing dramatically. States like California and Illinois have both issues dividing the larger, politically powerful urban areas from everyone else.

The rural counties going against things being imposed by the more populace cities is sort of a reversal of the past battles here in the south over liquor laws. With liquor laws it was rural residents keeping counties dry against the wishes of the majorities in the mid-sized cities. Eventually the politicians and business interests in the bigger cities lobbied the state governments to pass laws allowing cities of a certain size to vote separate from the county on liquor sales initiatives. This ushered in liquor sales by the drink and Sunday sales in restaurants.

The similarity in both the cases of gun control/fiscal issues and liquor laws is the cities have the advantage of lobbying the state governments to take a position that increases both the power and revenues of the state.

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.