[Cynus]

Localization is an attempt to resist globalization and support local community businesses, arts, and agriculture. There many reasons for this movement: environmentalists support how localization reduces energy costs and protects local farmland from development, anti-corporate activists support local independent small businesses from corporate chains, economic activists argue for keeping dollars on the local community rather that going to Wall Street or China. Although all of these movements are associated with the Left, the Democratic party is the party of strong centralized government, not decentralized local government. It is the Republicans who are mostly associated with Federalism, although through the neo-cons the Republican party has become the party of big government conservatism. Most of those who champion localization have not yet taken the step from local business to local government, but there is an opportunity for a new political coalition of the paleo-cons and neo-libs seeking decentralized government and to push power as far as possible to localities and to demand the ability to make decisions concerning the course of their communities. If the Republicans can break the grip of the neo-cons, stop their anti-environmental insanity, and re-brand their philosophy “localization” rather than Federalism, they have the best chance of attracting those interested in localization.

[Kristen]

I see your point but I think eventually as things become more localized, smaller government will be more important. Mayors and town committees will effect their townships more than big government. The president will fade like a dying star in the scheme of things.

[Cloud9]

Ever since the end of the Civil War, northern liberals could not trust southern conservatives with local government. Southern conservatives wanted to keep God in the schools, teach creationism, keep the races separate, maintain their class structure and hang onto their guns. All of these things flew into the face of northern progressive liberalism. The only time you heard the left argue for local control was when cities passed local gun abolition laws.

In time, this conflict of cultures became less a north south issue and became more of a rural urban issue.

Most will contend that the issues of states rights, local rule and popular sovereignty were resolved at Appomattox Court House in favor of the federal government.

Energy depletion, a crashed economy, and a bankrupt federal government may reverse this trend and cause a rise of local government. A revival of local authority will give rise to local majorities that may very well be willing to take their localities in directions objectionable to both liberals and conservatives.

Some communities will want to segregate their students, stone unwed mothers and decapitate adulterers.

[Cynus]

Yes, I've often remarked how liberals claim to be the party of diversity, as long as everyone acts like white, upper middle class, liberals. Of course conservatives claim to be against activist judges, unless they're instaling Bush into power, or against government spending unless it's for "faith based" government programs.
I agree with what you say about the Civil War. It's interesting how the north, once proud of having overthrown the British and desiring freedom from government, went to being in favor of centralized government afer the civil war. Another interesting angle is the difference between Catholicism and Protestantism. Catholics have always been comfortable with centralized authority while Protestants have argued for more or less independant congregations without central control. I'd be interested to see a map of relgious affiliation overlapped with party affiliation. Italians and Irish, and now Hispanics, have always leaned largely Democratic, while the more WASPy south, midwest, and west have been Republican. Of course there are no absolutes, just leanings.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cynus', 'Y')es, I've often remarked how liberals claim to be the party of diversity, as long as everyone acts like white, upper middle class, liberals....