A Presidential Candidate Who Believes in Federalism?

Presidential candidate Fred Thompson on his belief in the principles of federalism:

Our government, under our Constitution, was established upon the principles of Federalism -- that the federal government would have limited enumerated powers and the rest would be left to the states. It not only prevented tyranny, it just made good sense. States become laboratories for democracy and experiment with different kinds of laws. One state might try one welfare reform approach, for example. Another state might try another approach. One would work and the other would not. The federal welfare reform law resulted from just this process.

Federalism also allows for the diversity that exists among the country's people. Citizens of our various states have different views as to how traditional state responsibilities should be handled. This way, states compete with each other to attract people and businesses -- and that is a good thing.

To which Greg Mankiw comments:

I agree. I am skeptical of big government because of its adverse impact on economic efficiency and personal liberty, and so I often vote for tax-cutting candidates at the national level. But my skepticism fades away when the discussion turns to local government. Massachusetts has a tax limitation rule, which towns can override by voter referendum, which occurs here in Wellesley every few years. I almost always vote for higher local taxes. I have a taste for publicly provided goods, such as nice playgrounds and good schools, and if the town of Wellesley ever gets too inefficient or powerful, I can just move to Newton or Lexington.

The current Administration has not been very good for believers in federalism--the No Child Left Behind Act a notable example. Let's hope that Thompson's entering the race focuses attention on the issue.

I hope Thompson helps bring attention to this issue. I don't know much about him politically, but I like the sound of his comments. If he were to become president and hold to these convictions, it would be a very weclcome change to the current administration. Not only that, but we're already used to seeing him on TV.

I wonder if it's too late to give another try at recruiting Walter Williams?

P.S. -- See the Washington Post's page on Thompson for more.

P.P.S. -- From a recent Thompson speech:

"Folks, we're a bit down politically right now, but I think we're on the comeback trail, and it's going to start right here," he declared in the deep Southern rumble made famous by his roles in film and on television's "Law and Order." . . .

But he received his biggest applause for blasting the bipartisan plan for immigration reform, which he called unworkable. "We are a nation of compassion, a nation of immigrants," he said. "But this is our home . . . and we get to decide who comes into our home."

Thompson reminded guests that he now lives in McLean, but he offered himself as a Beltway outsider, saying there was a "disconnect" between Washington and the rest of the country "like I've never seen before." He said the GOP had lost its congressional majorities because "some of us came to drain the swamp and made partnership with the alligators."

Glenn Reynolds reports:

A journalist who was there emails with uncharacteristic enthusiasm: "it's what a stump speech should be.... a standing ovation in the middle of the speech even." He calls the WaPo account "dry." You can see the speech yourself on C-SPAN tonight if you're interested -- 6:30 or 9:30 pm Eastern.