THE IMPORTANCE OF VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

By Marilyn M. Barnewall
October 27, 2009
NewsWithViews.com

Hope comes from the Great State of Tennessee

A copy of Susan Lynn’s email came last Thursday. http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/200 ... d-forever/
She is a member of the Tennessee General Assembly and serves on the Commerce Committee. She is Chairman of the Government Operations Committee and also chairs the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Commerce Task Force.

Ms. Lynn’s message was or will be sent to 49 State Legislatures around the country. That means if you live in the United States, a copy was likely sent to your state’s governing body on October 20, 2009. It represents the first ray of hope I have seen that local legislators are taking action to stop the abuse of federal power so rampant in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Lynn’s email said:

“We send greetings from the Tennessee General Assembly. On June 23, 2009, House Joint Resolution 108, http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/200 ... tennessee/
the State Sovereignty Resolution, was signed by Governor Phil Bredesen.

The Resolution created a committee which has as its charge to:

• “Communicate the resolution to the legislatures of the several states,
• “Assure them that this State continues in the same esteem of their friendship,
• “Call for a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government, and
• “Seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.
• “It is for those purposes that this letter addresses your honorable body.

A couple of paragraphs about the history of our country and intent of our founding fathers follows. Then Ms. Lynn continues with her personal message to State Legislators:

“There are clear limits to the power of the federal government and clear realms of power for the states. However, the simple and clear expression of purpose, to secure our natural rights, has evolved into the modern expectation that the national government has an obligation to ensure our life, to create our liberty, and fund our pursuit of happiness.

“The national government has become a complex system of programs whose purposes lie outside of the responsibilities of the enumerated powers and of securing our natural rights; programs that benefit some while others must pay.

“Today, the federal government seeks to control the salaries of those employed by private business, to change the provisions of private of contracts, to nationalize banks, insurers and auto manufacturers, and to dictate to every person in the land what his or her medical choices will be.

“Forcing property from employers to provide healthcare, legislating what individuals are and are not entitled to, and using the labor of some so that others can receive money that they did not earn goes far beyond securing natural rights, and the enumerated powers in the Constitution.

“The role of our American government has been blurred, bent, and breached. The rights endowed to us by our creator must be restored.

“To be sure, the People created the federal government to be their agent for certain enumerated purposes only. The Constitutional ratifying structure was created so it would be clear that it was the People, and not the States, that were doing the ratifying.

“The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that which has been delegated by the people to the federal government, and also that which is absolutely necessary to advancing those powers specifically enumerated in the Constitution of the United States. The rest is to be handled by the state governments, or locally, by the people themselves.

“The Constitution does not include a congressional power to override state laws. It does not give the judicial branch unlimited jurisdiction over all matters. It does not provide Congress with the power to legislate over everything. This is verified by the simple fact that attempts to make these principles part of the Constitution were soundly rejected by its signers.

“With this in mind, any federal attempt to legislate beyond the Constitutional limits of Congress’ authority is a usurpation of state sovereignty - and unconstitutional.

“Governments and political leaders are best held accountable to the will of the people when government is local. The people of a state know what is best for them; authorities, potentially thousands of miles away, governing their lives is opposed to the very notion of freedom.

“We invite your state to join with us to form a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.â€