loquitor, you weren't supposed to *tell* me!
Thank you for the information.
I had to cf. Jefferson with federalism because I wasn't sure if you meant for me not to underestimate structural constraints or federalism
I think it'd be an interesting research question comparing the implications federal agencies (operating outside the tripartate seperation of powers model) have on our everyday lives to the folding of state agencies under the federal homeland security umbrella.
It would seem, from what I've read, that Jefferson would be most concerned about the latter. I wonder how I'd operationlize that...something like rates of civil complaints would give us some insight into how people felt their rights were being violated; but that wouldn't account for the fact that people have differential access to the courts.
Do you have an idea of how I'd operationalize that question?
(or is the question uninteresting?
)