Parties Flip Flop on States Rights

[applegrove]

https://politicalwire.com/2017/01/26/parties-flip-flop-states-rights/

"SNIP.............


Reuters: “Now, as Trump looks to undo Obama’s legacy and begin constructing his own, Pruitt and other administration Republicans are showing little interest in protecting states’ rights. Instead, they are embracing sweeping new environmental, healthcare and immigration policies that are to be imposed on all states.”

“At the same time Democrats, who over the last half-century have zealously defended sacrosanct federal laws – such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that tackled segregation – against arguments that states should be allowed to chart their own way, are now making plans to employ some of those very states’ rights positions to fend off Trump administration policies they disagree with.”

“The two parties’ switching of sides is evident across a range of issues, including so-called sanctuary cities, the environment and healthcare.”


.............SNIP"

[Thrill]

1. Bizzaro world. Just like Republicans defending Russia

Something I thought I would never hear

[Worktodo]

2. State's rights

State's rights have meant different things over time. In the 1860s northern states would claim state's rights to refuse to return runaway slaves. In the 1960s southern states would claim state's rights to oppose desegregation.

Republicans (and Democrats for that matter) will rally for "state's rights" any time it suits them on a particular issue. Personally I don't feel that "states" have "rights". People have rights.

[Blue_true]

3. It makes sense that Democrats would do so.

States should not be allowed to enact policies that make a class of citizen a second class citizen. But when states attempt to protect people in their domain from discrimination, damage to their health or financial well being, the right of the state to do that should be held paramount.

The difference is how Democrats are using state rights. Democrats are using state's rights to protect people, republicans and segregationist democrats have historically used state's rights to facilitate discrimination.

[bettyellen]

4. Exactly right! And welcome to DU!