Stronger local government, weaker Federal.
I favor a strong local government and a weak (except for national defense) Federal government.
In theory, the local government should know the needs of its people far better than the Federal government ever could. The local government is there with it people. It should know the problems its people face. It also know the resources and natural threats to its people.
Minus slavery, could the Confederate states work, or would state fight each other? Would it become something like the European Union (Not saying the European Union is a bad thing.)