Federalism isn't for everyone. Some areas of the U.S. appreciate it, some do not.
The SEC, in particular, has a very different value system from the Northeast and Northwest, and these divisions are making both pretty unhappy.
I am wondering if the populations would be better off if we just let them do their own things?
I would expect the Northeast and Northwest to operate generally like the current Federal United States.
The SEC would ravage itself and likely settle on a parliamentary system or just break into a bunch of truly confederated states.
Frankly, that is probably what should have happened instead of the civil war.