Okay, fine, my title for number 4 was gramatically and stylistically inconsistant. I should've said "legislated homophobia".
Yes, with numbers 8 and 9 I am a little concerned about the concentration of power in the federal government in general, but more so as it plays out in the details that I've already mentioned. For example, I care more when power drifts from the legislatures (either of the states or of Congress) to the president, and slightly less just because it goes from states to national. Why? Because with the passage of the income tax amendment, the federal government suddenly had enough money to bully states into compliance with their "guidelines", thereby circumventing the enumerated rights allocated to the federal government. I don't love it, but I've largely come to terms with it. I'd be happy, though, if the states decided to assert themselves at this point to prevent this power concentration from growing further.
Re: Comments
Yes, with numbers 8 and 9 I am a little concerned about the concentration of power in the federal government in general, but more so as it plays out in the details that I've already mentioned. For example, I care more when power drifts from the legislatures (either of the states or of Congress) to the president, and slightly less just because it goes from states to national. Why? Because with the passage of the income tax amendment, the federal government suddenly had enough money to bully states into compliance with their "guidelines", thereby circumventing the enumerated rights allocated to the federal government. I don't love it, but I've largely come to terms with it. I'd be happy, though, if the states decided to assert themselves at this point to prevent this power concentration from growing further.