LEE: The listener identifies an issue with flood and disaster relief--should that be a federal prerogative or is that a state power? I think a compelling point can be made that that's one thing that states historically have focused on...and I think that's one area where we ought to focus--one of many areas where we ought to focus -- on getting that power back to the states, keeping that money in the states to begin with.

FABRIZIO: But could Louisiana, for example, have dealt with Katrina? That would have absolutely broken the bank. Should the federal government, in an ideal way, should the federal government have been involved in that at all?

LEE: Well, look, they were, and I generally make a practice of not unnecessarily and futilely going back a few years and saying we shouldn't have done that because the fact is that we did. But looking forward...states will prepare differently if they understand that it's their responsibility rather than that of the federal government.

FABRIZIO: Are you saying that if the government would have stayed out of it, the country could have worked out the issues that are being dealt with by these programs, like poverty, like food safety...?

LEE: I've never said that isn't the proper role of government. What I've said is it's not necessarily the role of the federal government. I think it's important to ask the question, not just "should government do this? What is the proper role of government?" But "which government are you talking about?"

QUESTION: You said the framers intended state lawmakers deal with that, not the federal law?

LEE: Absolutely.