What causes some people to believe the US Federal government becoming too powerful?

Answer 1

Ever since the beginning of the US Republic was formed and its structure was formulated by the US Constitution, there have been concerns about an all too powerful central government. Thus part of the Constitution reads that all powers not given to the Federal government are left to the States.

If there were concerns in 1789, there are certainly concerns about current events. The Federal government is the USA's largest single employer. That means that a citizen employee is benefited by the current situation and by the government's growth.

Through the Federal individual income taxation process, the Federal government can control the spendable income of millions of people. Until the early part of the 20th century no Federal income taxes existed for individuals.

Currently, the Executive branch of the Federal government can wage war without the consent of the Congress. Once there was a time when the Congress had the power to vote on military expeditions. ( at some point however it will need the Congress to vote for funding )

Even with that, it must be remembered that Congress is part of the Federal government. Yes, elected officials can be unelected, however, in the meantime, a war can continue.

Currently the Federal government can sue a State for passing an anti Immigration law.. Arizona is the test case for that.

Federal taxes on gasoline at the "gas pump" can control the cost of gasoline to the consumer.

Through the fact that college students take out Federal loans to pay for tuition, the Federal government can make decisions on student costs, and on college policies. As an example, despite the fact that an over whelming majority of Universities are coed, former men's and women's colleges must be co-ed. This can be fixed however by sneaking through a loophole that few colleges dare to tread but they exist.

The Internal Revenue Service has the power to accept or deny applications for non exempt organizations and religions they deem are not religions.

Federal environmental laws can be invoked to stop private business affairs such as the proposed gas pipeline leading from Canada to Southern parts of the USA.

In certain situations the US Labor Department can make decisions concerning a companies pay policies. In court, the protesting companies cannot force the Labor Department to justify its policy, but rather the reverse, the company must prove the Labor Department is acting unjustly. This is the reverse of most laws where the government must prove a defendant is guilty.

The US Labor Department needs no evidence to present to a court for confiscating private funds. The cost of proving the government is wrong often outweighs the benefit.

In any Federal Civil lawsuit, the government has no cost limits for prosecuting a case, the defendant does have limits.

It's a subjective answer on whether the Federal is too powerful.