(2005-08-25) Kling Virtual Federalism

Arnold Kling on decreasing loyalty to the Two Party System. Ultimately, in order to accommodate the Long Tail, the United States might have to adopt a form of "VirtualFederalism" that allows people to self-select among government entities. Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans will make increasingly desperate attempts to resist the Long Tail, much as the legacy news media and legacy entertainment industry are desperately trying to resist the Long Tail in their fields... Instead of Coalition and compromise, the solution may be to splinter and separate. Allow people to live in any political jurisdiction they choose. Let socialists self-select to live with other socialists. Let Libertarian-s self-select to live with other libertarians. Accommodate the Long Tail by allowing people to choose their political jurisdiction, rather than have it dictated by geography. That is what I mean by "virtual Federalism." The key to virtual Federalism is to break the link between physical location and political jurisdiction. A Ralph Nader supporter who happens to live in Texas could form a virtual state with like-minded individuals in Massachusetts and Oregon. A libertarian in San Francisco could join a state with ideological allies in Orange County and New Hampshire. Boy that sounds even less realistic than the Free State Project. Is this a Nations-Lite flavor?