"The Liberal"? Seriously? Why don't we use civil adult language with each other? I am not "The Liberal", but someone you are talking with, whose political views are somewhere "left" on a continuum from where yours are. 


The constitution does not require that life in the United States be stifled or stiff. The constitution is a framework, meant to be lived out in relationship between the federal government and the many states, between the states and whatever relationship they've set up with their counties and cities, and by agreements, with entities that cross over state and federal boundaries (intergovernmental relationships, e.g., interstate compacts, coalitions, etc.). The relationships have changed over our 200 years--pretty continually--and, unless found otherwise by the courts--are constitutional. 


I'm not sure how it is being missed in your analysis, but the Several States need the federal government to raise taxes to help them meet their responsibilities to their citizens.