Nationalizing Every Issue Promotes Political Conflict

Returning to limited, decentralized government would be less divisive but may be impossible. 

Letter to The WSJ. 

"The answer to Barton Swaim’s question, “Can the Constitution Reconcile America?” (Weekend Interview with Yuval Levin, June 15), is yes in principle, no in practice. Given the country’s diverse sects, nationalities and classes stretched across a huge territory, the framers recognized that coalition-building requires a “general” government of limited authority focused on the “general welfare,” while states legislate life’s details.

Since the Great Society, both parties have been nationalizing such details. Instead of allowing conflict over divisive issues to be tempered by remaining localized, politicians, interest groups and media pull such issues into Washington, where they trigger fight-to-the-death battles that polarize the country. Returning to a more limited general government conducive to compromise is probably impossible.

Prof. John Kincaid

Lafayette College

Easton, Pa."