I’m glad you find the ideas promising. I should probably try to find a less ambiguous word rather than rural.

I had not realised that the US constitution prohibited most inter-state negotiations/compacts. This seems to me like one of the biggest overreaches of federal power there could be.

I could understand the federal government preventing or overruling compacts that interfered in some fundamental way with the union on a case by case basis. I also see the benefit in the federal government coordinating certain national projects.

Having the federal government arbitrate disagreements between states is one thing, but having it arbitrate agreements is quite another. Requiring any interaction between states to go via the federal government is… power hungry. Also inefficient.

Thanks for enlightening me!