Independence Day
A time to consider our core American beliefs
By STATE SEN. CHIP PEARSON (GA)

On this July 4, Americans will take a day off to spend time with their families, enjoying parades, picnics and fireworks. I know that some of you will take a moment to honor the principles of freedom and equality for which our patriot forefathers fought. Unfortunately, these days, many Americans take certain freedoms for granted - such as the right to vote and the right to free speech - as we go about our business as if these rights could never be taken away. This Independence Day, I'd like to take time to discuss one of the most important rights that we have as U.S. citizens - states' rights.

A Brief History

The Declaration of Independence was an act of the Second Continental Congress, declaring that the 13 original colonies were independent of Great Britain. As you know, the Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776, and stands today along with the Constitution as the most important of American documents. At the time the Declaration was issued, the American colonies were "united" in declaring their independence from Britain, but were not yet declaring themselves to be a single nation. That union would evolve and take shape during the next few years after the Declaration was issued. As a proclamation, the Declaration was used to try to establish clear reasons for an American rebellion that might persuade reluctant colonists to join them, and to establish cause to foreign governments that might lend them aid. Overall, the Declaration was one of the first major steps in the founding of our nation, and the brilliance of its philosophy stems from the desire to be free - free of the social, economic and political constraints of the monarchy, and free to pursue our right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

The U.S. Constitution

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

The first lines of the Preamble to our Constitution are as inspiring and hopeful as the day they were adopted. The document has a central place in American law and political culture. Each article sets forth the infrastructure of our federal government, including the powers of the three branches of government, federal powers and states' powers. Another important portion of the document, the Bill of Rights, affords Americans the right to bear arms, the right to a jury trial, the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishments and others. The Bill of Rights includes the 10th Amendment, which provides that powers that the Constitution does not delegate to the United States and does not prohibit the states from exercising, are "reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

A New Age of Federalism

"I don't believe in a government that protects us from ourselves." President Ronald Reagan

When we fast forward to 2007, it is apparent that our federal government has outgrown the original vision and philosophies of our forefathers, like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Our federal government keeps getting bigger and bigger, and our tax burden is a growing concern for many Americans. Lately, many have noted that our U.S. federal government is increasingly burdensome upon the states, passing along unfunded mandates and micromanaging on several issues. Let's take a look at some state/federal issues that are hot topics currently:

REAL ID - In May 2005, Congress passed the REAL ID Act, creating a national standard for the issuance of state driver's licenses and ID cards, which must be implemented by May 11, 2008. In Georgia, we passed Senate Bill 5 this year, authorizing our Governor to delay compliance with certain provisions of the REAL ID Act until Homeland Security expressly guarantees that the law will not compromise the economic and biological privacy of Georgia's citizens. The states will bear the cost of the implementation of this ID card, and many state leaders would like to see this mandate postponed until Congress further develops the plan.

Immigration - Shouldn't the federal government enforce what is already on the books as current federal law, before it gives amnesty to over 12 million illegal immigrants? In Georgia, the provisions of SB 529, the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, began on July 1, 2007. Georgia law now requires every state agency and local government to verify the lawful presence in the U.S. of any person 18 years of age or older who has applied for state or local public benefits. State governments handle many aspects of the everyday life of an immigrant (healthcare, education, employment, etc.), and it is unfortunate that aspects of Georgia's new immigration law could be trumped by any federal policy.

Pork barrel spending - Over the years we've seen an increase in federal budgets for local or "pet" projects. All taxpayers fund these "pork" projects, but they only benefit a particular area and are typically used to garner votes. A classic example of this is the Gravina Island Bridge, which is a $315 million bridge being built in Alaska. This "Bridge to Nowhere" was cited by many in Congress as a clear example of pork barrel spending. Along with other recent earmarks in our ever-growing federal budgets, this suggests that the federal government has outgrown the intent of our founding fathers.

Many core principles and beliefs were written into our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution to ensure that the new federal government would not rule over the individual states as Great Britain ruled over the American colonies, and to avoid exorbitant taxation. The founding fathers swore to uphold these beliefs in the final line of our Declaration: "For the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

The founders of this great nation saw freedom as the key to any federal government. I agree with Ben Franklin when he said: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." It is doubtful that Franklin meant to create a huge federal government that continuously tramples on personal liberties under the guise of security and protection. As a citizen, the best thing that you can do is to exercise the rights our Constitution affords to us. Get out and vote. Contact your senators, congressmen and local leaders to express your concerns on the issues that matter most. Also, get involved in the process, and get to know who represents you at every level, whether federal, state or local, because these are the people who vote on your behalf.

As always, it is my honor and privilege to be your state senator. I'd like to thank the men and women of the U.S. military, who protect our freedom and uphold our Constitution on a daily basis. I hope that all of you will enjoy celebrating this July 4th in a fun, special way.

Please feel free to contact Sen. Chip Pearson at his office in Atlanta at 404.656.9221 or by email at chip@team51.org.

http://www.unionsentinel.com/news/2007/ ... e/004.html