The Two-Pronged Strategy for Radical Federalism
Why States Must Use Both Legal Resistance and Multi-State Alliances to Secure Their Autonomy
For years, Americans have been told that the courts are the final safeguard of democracy.
That states can challenge federal overreach through legal mechanisms.
That the Supreme Court will uphold the Constitution.
But that belief was a lie.
The Supreme Court itself has become a tool for centralized authoritarianism.
Trump and his allies have made it clear that they will ignore state rulings when convenient.
The highest court in the land is not a check on power—it is a weapon for consolidating it.
This means that states and local communities cannot rely solely on legal challenges to resist federal overreach. They must also band together, forming alliances strong enough to resist Washington’s control.
Radical Federalism must be fought on two fronts:
A legal strategy to resist federal overreach, neutralize preemption, and secure autonomy.
A multi-state coalition that ensures no state fights alone—because no single state can stand against Washington on its own.
This is the only way to ensure permanent self-governance.
I. The Legal Strategy: Resisting Federal Preemption and Centralized Control
The legal system is not entirely lost—yet.
As we’ve discussed before, States still have tools to resist federal mandates, but they must be used aggressively and systematically.
1. Preemption Law: How States Can Challenge Federal Overreach
Invoke the Tenth Amendment : The Constitution explicitly reserves powers to the states that are not granted to the federal government.
Use the Anti-Commandeering Doctrine : The Supreme Court has ruled that the federal government cannot force states to enforce federal laws.
Expand Dual Sovereignty : Courts have upheld that states and the federal government can operate in parallel legal spheres, especially on taxation, education, and environmental policy.
If structured correctly, state laws can be shielded from preemption.
2. Legal Protections for State Sovereignty
A. Codify State Rights into Constitutions
Pass amendments that permanently protect key state rights, making them difficult to repeal or override.
Focus on areas where federal overreach has been the most aggressive, such as:
Worker protections
Reproductive rights
Environmental laws
Data privacy & digital sovereignty
B. Strengthen State Judicial Systems
State supreme courts must be strengthened to resist federal rulings that violate state autonomy.
Legal firewalls must be created so that even if the federal courts collapse into full authoritarianism, state courts can still act as a last line of defense.
C. Expand Home Rule for Cities
Cities must be empowered to govern themselves without state or federal interference.
Where possible, smaller-scale governance (e.g., “3,000-person assemblies”) can distribute power further, limiting the impact of state or federal capture.
If necessary, cities should push for legal carve-outs that allow them greater independence.
Legal resistance is necessary—but insufficient.
If the Supreme Court and federal agencies choose to ignore rulings, what then?
This is why states must also act collectively, not individually.
II. The Multi-State Coalition: Banding Together for True Resistance
No single state can stand alone against Washington.
If Texas, California, Illinois, or Alaska tries to fight federal overreach alone, they will lose.
But if they fight together, they become an unstoppable force.
1. Why a Multi-State Alliance is Essential
A single state can be punished through funding cuts, federal lawsuits, or economic pressure.
A coalition of states cannot be ignored, defunded, or crushed without massive backlash.
If one state is targeted, the others must immediately act to defend it.
This is not just about mutual defense.
It is about building an alternative system of governance that can operate independently of Washington.
2. The Interstate Radical Federalist Pact: What It Would Look Like
States must create a formalized compact with three key pillars:
A. A Multi-State Legal Defense Network
States must pool legal resources to challenge federal mandates in court collectively.
An attack on one must be treated as an attack on all.
Every federal overreach must be met with lawsuits from multiple states, making legal challenges impossible to ignore.
B. A Shared Economic & Trade Infrastructure
States should establish trade agreements independent of federal control.
A joint economic development fund should be created to finance infrastructure, energy, and business growth outside Washington’s influence.
States should build regional supply chains so that they are not reliant on federally regulated commerce.
Local cooperatives and public banks can integrate into this structure, reinforcing resilience at every level.
C. A Coordinated Public Messaging & Resistance Strategy
States must work together to expose federal overreach.
A unified public narrative must be developed to show why decentralization is the only way to protect democracy.
If the federal government attempts to seize more power, states must act together in defiance.
Harness decentralized media and mesh networks at the municipal or regional level to counter corporate or federally controlled narratives.
III. The Time to Act is Now
The old belief that the courts will protect us is gone.
The new reality is that if states do not secure their autonomy now, they may never get another chance.
Radical Federalism is not just about legal challenges—it is about survival.
We must:
Use every legal tool available to resist federal overreach.
Build a multi-state alliance strong enough to withstand Washington’s pressure.
Establish economic and judicial systems that can function independently.
Empower communities—down to the neighborhood scale—to ensure no single institution can be co-opted entirely.
There is no more time to wait.
The old system is crumbling.
We must build a new one.
The time for waiting is over.
The time to act is now.
“can operate in parallel legal spheres, especially on taxation” does this mean there is a way to keep some money going for federal taxes? Democratic states are about to be hurt very badly and need to keep what they can.