As a consequence of this warped environment, D.C. has filled up with young reporters who lack any experience of politics beyond the inherently statist-biased glamor of Washington. Whereas someone like Robert Novak cut his teeth on local politics and found Beltway grandees (or wannabees) no more impressive than the local pols he started out covering, these inexperienced journalists become sucked into the Beltway mindset and often report on politics accordingly.

So is there anything we can do to preserve and, if necessary, restore America’s federalist culture? When it comes to accents, we should “accept, embrace, and come to love the varieties of American experience.” As for journalism, it is imperative to revive both local news and federalism as a political project.

[Federalism matters. I’m not sure that equates into getting government or political activists involved in journalism. They’re too involved as it is. Perhaps a better way to approach this is to start shaving federal jurisdiction and authority back down to the constitutional model, and then the reporters will go to where power is being exercised. To be fair, that may be what Butler has in mind, but he’s not clear on that point. — Ed

Update, 9/28: Jack reached out and assured me that he is firmly opposed to government subsidies for journalists, and that he had the same approach as I did. — Ed]