National vs. Federal

A couple of books suggest that it's nonsensical to speak of an American "Nation":

• Albion's Seed
• The Nine Nations of North America
• American Nations

Hence the use of the term "National" as a synonym for "Federal" strikes me as awkward. In an originalist sense, the "United States of America" reflected a political claim of a military alliance, a sort of echo of the "Union of Utrecht" and later "United Provinces", but the actual governmental structure of the United states is a federation, "a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs". 

To speak of a nation is to speak of a collective national identity based on shared language, history, ethnicity, territory and society. It is certainly possible to speak of an 'American Nation', but to speak of a "National Transportation Plan Goals" seems awry -- the authoritative entity providing the planning goals is not a nation. But for many places, 'nation' has a kinder tone to it, because it implies a sense of collective identity, but also of shared burden: everyone labors under the same requirements.