My experience is that people are very upset with the state and want their rights back. And that, one way or another, they'll get 'em.
I think that's likely true with a huge segment of Americans, but the definition of "the state" probably varies widely. For example, there are folks that want municipal police powers curtailed and the EPA unleashed, while other folks want the opposite.
I don't think the definition of the state is what varies as much as the circumstances of the person who wants their "rights back".
As an example:
In rural America restriction on gun ownership are pure crazy talk, a gun is a tool just like a shovel. You keep varmint off your land, scare bobcats away from the sheep, and keep your home safe because the police are 30 minutes away.
If someone in NY is carrying a gun it's a huge liability to the people that are in close proximity to that person. There are also police and emergency services very nearby.
In rural America your house can burn down before the fire department arrives. Gravel roads aren't a problem. Largely what you do on your land doesn't have any affect on anyone else. Nobody should be able to tell you what you can flush into your own septic system.
In a dense city what you flush down the toilet can cause big problems for other people. Well maintained roads and an understanding that you should walk on the left and stand on the right contribute to sense that your actions affect others and what they do affect you.
I don't see enough respect for how rightfully different the perspectives of people are.
> For example, there are folks that want municipal police powers curtailed and the EPA unleashed, while other folks want the opposite.
Curtail them both. I'm building a barn, not a running an open pit mine. A federal agency shouldn't have a say in what kind of barn I build for my own personal use on my own personal property.
I think that's likely true with a huge segment of Americans, but the definition of "the state" probably varies widely. For example, there are folks that want municipal police powers curtailed and the EPA unleashed, while other folks want the opposite.