"McDonald's book provides an insighful look at the balance between general and local authority - an issue that continues to stir debate nationwide. Among constitutional scholars and Supreme Court justices, as well as for an electorate increasingly wary of federal power, the concept of states' rights has become a touchstone for a host of political and legal controversies. As McDonald shows, that concept needs to be examined if we are to understand its implications for current and future debates."--BOOK JACKET.