Should laws & sentencing guidelines be the same in all states?

[ecstatic]

Should we dump the whole idea of states rights and instead move to make each rule, law, and regulation the same in all states? This would apply to such things as voting, marriage, gambling, abortion, sentencing, etc.

[RC]

1. If the law is the same in all states, why have States?

[NicRic]

2. We are all Americans first !

Why should some American living down in Texas serve a life in prison for a crime that if he had broke in another state , this person may have recieved a much lighter sentence .Doesntt the U in U.S.A. stand for United. Iam mostly thinking about drug laws and the outrageous war on drugs that has ruined so many lives of those that are users caught up in the net. I dont believe any of them should be in pison ,rather treatment , however when I hear of some poor sape serving a long sentence in some sounthern states for pot ,it just breaks my heart !

[punpirate]

3. There ought to be uniformity...

... to the extent that federal law can impinge on state law. With regard to national candidate elections (for President and Congress), there should be close uniformity, with only small allowances made for local problems, such as rural precinct allocation, etc.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Whose uniformity? I wouldn't want "Texas justice" in New Jersey.

You'd be executed for speeding . . . .

[AP]

5. Exactly. Devolving power is the essence of Democracy.

Obviously, as Americans, we live under the Constitution, and that's a good thing. But regarding the issues the constitution doesn't address, I'd rather have power devolved -- I'd rather have my community or my state -- pick the rules because I have more democratic influence over my community and my state.