I have extolled the virtues of Federalism in this forum many times.  More powerful states equals a less powerful Federal government.  More powerful citizens equals less powerful states, etc...  The issue is that the Federal government has turned whole states into dependents now.  Through redistribution of highway funds via the Dept of Transportation, education funds via the Dept of Education, etc...states are now dependent on the Federal government for revenue.  Where does this revenue come from?  Other states!  Money is collected via high taxes,  "laundered" through the Federal Government, and directed into the coffers of states: A, B, C, etc...  The complete process here is mostly obscure.  It involves political paybacks, who your Congressman it, etc, but also derives from population.  Remember Illegal Immigration?  That ill fated piece of legislation back in 2006 or so that was DESTROYED by the American citizens.  My, my, my...  What a difference a bad economy makes.  Now these overspending state political hacks are gearing up for the next Federal government handout.  Think about it...  Illegal Immigrants are a HUGE issue for many states due to the burden brought to bear on social services.  The logical thing to do would be to crack down and control the border with Mexico.  Nope...  Instead, why don't we just have Illegal Immigrants come out of hiding just long enough to get the state extra funding.  Ugh!  Ugh!  Ugh! The article even mentions that these law breakers are worth $400 per head in additional Federal aid.  I have an idea...  Why not offer a $400 per head bounty?  Or throw a few CEOs in jail for allowing Illegal Immigrants to work for them?  Ugh!  This is exactly why a large Federal government is bad.  An issue that most agree on, less Illegal Immigrants, gets turned into a money making opportunity by states with BAD leadership that broke the bank.  Sigh...  There is another, much more depressing sign that the Federal government is to big.  Microsoft wants a subsidy now.  Yes, that is the same Microsoft with billions in the bank.  Microsoft wants American taxpayers to pay for Cyber Security.  What the heck!  I am a techie myself and let me tell you...  A BIG reason we have issues with the Internet is due to BAD SOFTWARE!  There is a reason Microsoft is on Service Pack #3 for the Windows XP Operating System.  Security patches!  There is a concept in tech called "Defense in Depth."  This essentially means lots of security in many layers.  So, we have fiber carrying signals around.  Can't do much with fiber.  We can do something with the routers that direct traffic, servers that store data, home PCs that use data, etc...  It is up to Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, et al to provide good safe products.  Isn't their labor/maintenance "effort" part of the product's cost already?  However, when the Federal government is big and in a giving mood, bad software becomes the Internet users'  problem.  Ugh!  We are so screwed if even a big profitable company wants a handout...

Update 03/11/2010: What did I just say above?  Why do states require Federal aid?  Why does the Federal government need to advertise that there is aid?  Ugh!!!