Resisting the Washingtonization of the states
New Hampshire’s House was designed to be the most local legislature in America; the problem is that Washington politics and media narratives increasingly morph statehouses into venues for federal proxy wars, pulling them away from the everyday work that makes them healthier governing bodies.
This excerpt from an article in The Dartmouth highlights the phenomenon:
In contrast to other northeastern states whose legislatures have significant Democratic majorities, in New Hampshire both legislative chambers and the positions of governor, secretary of state and attorney general are controlled by Republicans.
Thibault said that while there is a “demand in New Hampshire for conservative policies,” the local, citizen-based aspect of the legislature allows for “bipartisan agreement” on many bills.
Federal politics don’t have “the biggest impact on the state level because people care more about what we can do for them in terms of education, state taxes and law enforcement, rather than what the federal government’s dealing with,” Thibault explained.
Muirhead, however, said that nationalized partisanship has made its way into the state house.
“Believe it or not, a lot of people care more about the party or ideology than ordinary factual conditions [such as] do people have jobs? Are the streets safe? Are the schools good? You know, everyday life is what matters, and that’s what politics is supposed to deliver.” Muirhead said.
Part of the article frames up a narrative that criticizes the “extremist” element on the political right that has entered the localized flavor of New Hampshire’s legislature. But one could easily counter the better example of nationalizing state government is likely in Virginia right now, where the new legislative pushes appear to be a carbon copy of the national progressive agenda. It also further highlights the power of Northern Virginia over the rest of the state.
At any rate, at least many of the narratives legislatures are pushed to respond to stem from national overreach into the states. And when the federal government expands its reach, it doesn’t just crowd out state authority, it drags state legislatures into nationalized disputes they can’t ignore. Federalism only works when Washington leaves real space for states to govern, so statehouses can resist becoming miniature versions of our dysfunctional Congress.
—Ray Nothstine
— The Federalism Beat