Leadership Quote by Don Nickles

Federalism always sounds nobly procedural until you notice who reaches for it, and when. Don Nickles’s line is a textbook example of Washington rhetoric that tries to look modest while doing real political work. “I happen to be one who believes” performs a little shrug of personal conscience, as if he’s merely confessing a preference rather than staking out a power fight. Then comes the loaded phrase: “proper roles.” That word “proper” doesn’t just describe; it polices. It implies there’s a correct, almost moral boundary that’s been crossed, and that restoring order means pushing decisions downward.

The intent is to frame a policy dispute as a constitutional housekeeping matter. Instead of arguing the merits of a federal program - whether it’s regulation, social spending, education standards, environmental rules - the speaker shifts the argument to jurisdiction. That’s a savvy move because “states’ rights” can gather supporters who disagree on outcomes but like the idea of local control, and it can deflect blame when policies are unpopular: if Washington is the problem, decentralization is the cure.

The subtext, especially in late-20th-century Republican politics where Nickles made his name, is that national government has overreached and needs trimming back. “State and local” reads as democratic and close-to-the-people, even though localism can just as easily mean less oversight, weaker protections, or a patchwork of rights depending on your ZIP code.

It works because it’s deliberately vague. By refusing to name the issue, the line becomes a reusable tool: a principled-sounding argument that can be deployed whenever federal power becomes politically inconvenient.