Two comments on federalism

I came across a shmaht comment on federalism at Reason's Hit and Run. The occasion for the comment is a post that links to an editorial from the Moonie Times, which basically calls bullshit on the GOP's purported interest in federalism.

First comment: "I'm starting to think that the erosion of federalism is less a result of lust for power than an egotistical take on "moral leadership." The liberals' need for political correctness and the conservatives' endorsement of "life politics" has only made things worse." (panurge)

That nails it. To take the atrocious (from a federalist perspective) partial birth abortion ban, ostensible federalists supported it because the life of fetii is more important than constitutional limits on federal power. The problem is that everyone thinks their particular issue is more important than federalism. When every issue is an exception, from drinking ages to domestic abuse, it's federalism that becomes the exception.