Be careful not to be anachronistic. When the US was a young country, before telegraphs and railways were widespread, most people's primary interface with the government was perhaps their municipality or at the highest level perhaps their county.

> The relatively strong federal government of more recent times however seems to have worked out not so badly.

I am not so sure. Different people in different parts of the country have different preferences. Much easier to satisfy them, if you don't centralise too much.

> [...] but electing an unaccountable king every 4 years is just a retarded and easily exploitable system.

Much better to elect 3,143 kings, one for every county. If you don't like the one your neighbours (and you) voted for, just move to the next town over.