Which should have more power? State Government or Federal Government?

[Darth Revan of the Sith]

Topic is simple. Which side of the United States Government should have more power?
State Government's?
Federal Government's?
Keep them even?

What I have noticed is that this is the same as what happened during the Civil War. The South felt that the State Governments should have more power than the Federal Government while the North disagreed. This resulted in the Civil War. Everybody should know that slavery was NOT the issue until Lincoln declared Martial Law with the Emancipation Proclamation. The original conflict was the South feeling that the Federal Government was getting too powerful.

We see this sentiment even today with people like Ron Paul, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, Gary Johnson, and Rick Perry. These people believe in the concept of a limited Federal Government and have gone to radical lengths in expressing these views. Rick Perry even went so far as saying while he was Governor that Texas should secede from the Union.

While I understand the woes of the Conservative's, Libertarian's, and Social Conservatives. I cannot fathom how they can believe that the State Government is any better than the Federal Government. It seems the only reason this is accepted is because the South seems to believe that the State Government's will head only the needs of them and not their opponents within their own state. The idea that State Government's should be above the Federal Government's is just as ridiculous as it would be the other way around.

It is because of this that both sides should be even.

Discuss, which side deserves more power? Or do neither?

[Tentacruel]

Ah hell, I don't know. I do think the federal government shouldn't have too much power, but at the same time it's pointless for certain laws to be different everywhere. Like gay marriage for instance. I feel like it's pointless for it to be legal in some states but not in others.

I suppose that I agree with you in that they should be even.