Is there any manner of closing the gap between Federal authority and State
authority? It seems that most of the contentious Constitutional arguments deal with
that dichotomy. That was the principal issue at the Convention. On a general level
it would appear that when the Constitution is said to refer and apply to all the
people, such as in the preamble, i. e. " we the People...",   it would also apply to
individuals situated within State boundaries. The Preamble also states, " in Order
to form a more perfect Union..." ; I see that as a more perfect union of people, not
States. Why would the Convention want to unify the States, which were each
claiming separate power and authority? No State will relinquish its power. That
was the problem with the Confederacy. Thats why the Constitutional convention
was convened. It became necessary to unify the people under one roof. Of
course, the result was a compromise, a Republic, a lot of little roofs under one
big roof, nevertheless, " a more perfect union" was to be "of people".
  Of course, that does not close the gap. But if the triad of government is perceived
as abstract on top and concrete at the bottom, it would aleviate many problems. 
The Top most always refers to the individuals at the bottom. If the bottom is
perceived as number, it would have to include everyone regardless where situated.
Although that does not resolve the problem between a centeral government and
many other governments, if the Constitution is conceived as applying
(numerically) to all the people, of course, including people within State
boundaries, there would be less conflict between central and other smaller sets of
government. Of course, it will be said that it already does, but everyone is
included as a "word" and not as a number. Of course there are many other issues
between State and Federal jurisdictions, but I refer to a government of the people,
by the people and for the people as a numerical, measuring device for allocating
duties and responsobilities of all the parts of the triad of government. Of course,
this suggestion is not intended as a panacea, only as a better, more inclusive form
of democracy. No government can be perfect, but some are better than others.