I think you will see coming out of this, a dramatic effort across the board to decentralize government away from Washington, back to the people of the United States. That is the commitment of the 30 Republican governors and many Democratic governors as well. Because states are ready to lead. States are balancing budgets. States are fixing welfare, states are producing health care reform without bureaucracy.
States deal best with issues that are uniquely local, such as education, crime and job training.
Without federal interference, states can streamline programs and save tax dollars. We can make government more efficient and responsive. We now have the opportunity to literally begin a new age in American political history a return to limited government, government close to home, and a reversal of the long trend of centralization and unbridled growth at the federal level. But to accomplish this, state leaders have to do our part in creating balance. We need to begin asking the right questions.