This was in response to a question by my US Government professor.

I believe certain aspects of governing must be done from the overall umbrella of the federal government. Ensuring equal rights for all citizens, maintaining relations with foreign countries, disaster response that could easily overwhelm a state, and crimes committed across state lines just to name a few. These things are too important to allow each state to do as it pleases.

However, the individual states should continue to have more say in the affairs of what happens within its borders than the federal government. A fair example is the recent decriminalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. These states in combination with the many states that allow medical marijuana highlight a clash between state and federal level governing. The federal government continues to classify marijuana as one of the most dangerous drugs in existence (schedule 1). States are beginning to realize that marijuana prohibition has been a failure just as alcohol prohibition had been. Federal agents have been raiding houses that are compliant with state laws. The federal government has stepped in where I believe state law should be active.

The move towards a more centralized federal government continues to build speed and it was never intended to be this way.