Thread: Lawmakers in 44 States Warn Congress

Lawmakers in 44 States Warn Congress
Monday, 22 Feb 2010 08:38 AM

With tax collections dropping and jobless rates at record highs, state legislators hundreds of miles from Washington have found an easy way to appeal to conservative voters: Bash the federal government.

Lawmakers in 44 states have introduced measures warning Congress not to trample states' rights and dozens of other resolutions opposing the government on issues including gun control and health care.

Their efforts play to people angry with the status quo. A recent Pew Research Center poll found high anti-incumbent sentiment among voters ahead of the November congressional elections.

"The closer you are to elections, you see legislators with more backbone," said Michael Boldin of the California-based Tenth Amendment Center, a nonpartisan think tank named for the constitutional amendment that specifies any power not granted to the federal government is reserved for the states. "I'm sure there's a lot of grandstanding."

No states are likely to secede from the union, but they could derail or delay federal legislation the way they have by balking at a national identification program billed as a way to fight terrorism and identity theft. Most states still aren't complying with the Real ID law passed in 2005.

In conservative South Carolina, Republican House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham said his caucus made standing up to the federal government a top priority this year.

"I hear it at church, at the barber shop: 'You guys need to stand up.' The issue of federal intrusion is a John Doe issue," he said. "This is a yes-point for us. They're mad. They're upset. They expect us to respond."

That response included passing a resolution to assert the state's rights under several constitutional amendments. It says South Carolina's attorney general will sue if Congress passes mandates that the state deems unconstitutional, and that no state agency will follow the mandates while a decision is pending.

"To say public reaction and being vocal doesn't have any influence is ludicrous," Mr. Bingham said. "That's how you enact change in a civilized society."

Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee have passed resolutions asserting states' rights under the 10th Amendment, according to Mr. Boldin's group. Another passed the Kansas Senate last week after hundreds of residents rallied, brandishing copies of the U.S. Constitution, and vowed to "take their country back."

In South Carolina, the House has already passed an expanded version of a state rights measure it first approved last year. A version is awaiting Senate approval.

"It is vitally important for the future of our nation that the states stand against the relentless expansion of the federal government and restore the proper balance to our federal system," it reads.

Some Democratic legislators call the measures pointless, political moves that do nothing to improve residents' lives. Black Democrats in South Carolina say Republican efforts are reminiscent of South Carolina's declaration of secession 150 years ago, which, they noted, didn't work out so well.

"We're talking about seceding from the union," said Rep. Chris Hart, Columbia Democrat. "I thought we tried that."

Source: The Associated Press

http://newsmax.com/InsideCover/Lawmaker ... /id/350484

"Some Democratic legislators call the measures pointless, political moves that do nothing to improve residents' lives. Black Democrats in South Carolina say Republican efforts are reminiscent of South Carolina's declaration of secession 150 years ago, which, they noted, didn't work out so well.

""We're talking about seceding from the union," said Rep. Chris Hart, Columbia Democrat. "I thought we tried that.""

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You did try it and it didn't work so well because you forgot the address the entire Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution which doesn't end with "reserved to the states". It ends with "or to the people".

When you use your states rights against the people of your state or another state, you're no better than the federal government you claim to oppose or even worse.

However, when you use your states rights to stand up for the rights reserved to the people of the United States, then your cause is warranted and your mission noble.

GO STATES, GO PEOPLE!

"US Constitution, 10th Amendment

"Amendment X

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people."

I support the states in their efforts to rein in the outrageous behavior of the US government. But they must do so carefully and meticulously and carefully. They need to address why they're upset, what they want to do, and explain how that will benefit the people.

For example, all states should be calling for immediate passage of the FairTax, and I realize people may say we need more than that, and of course we do, but the FairTax restores the money of our country to a) the people b) to the states and THEN to the federal government. Think of the power that gives to States and the People. Possession is 9/10th of the law, we've all heard it, known it and been raised by it.

Under the FairTax, the states not only monitor the tax collections for the US government, the money flows from consumers to retail businesses to the states, possession, and then to the US government.

You want your power back to control this federal government? Then take back possession of its funding by passing the FairTax, which is a) power to the people, b) power to the states, and only after a) and b) are satisfied does the power transfer to the federal government with transfer of the money.

Every true constitutionalist and honest 10th Amendment supporter should be pounding down the doors of the US Congress to pass the FairTax and do so immediately, so we can rid this festering Congress of Traitors of the power we handed them by giving them our money unconditionally under threat of fines, jail or worse, to use our money to bankrupt our country. Pass the FairTax and take back our money and restore our power over the federal government, the way it was intended.

I believe in a strong federal government to attend to the needs of our country that are beyond the scope or ability of the states to manage. However, what is happening to the United States today based on government policies deliberately designed, fashioned and passed to bankrupt our country must be stopped and new mechanisms established so that this never ever happens again in the United States.

The FairTax is one such very crucial mechanism, all set to go, introduced into the US Congress for its 10th year a row which 61 Sponsors in the US House of Representatives, HB 25, assigned to the Ways and Means Committee of Charles Ragel, waiting for a long deserved hearing. Demand the hearing, let hte debate begin, so reason, logic, common sense and the US Constitution may prevail.

www.fairtax.org

deleted by me

Because they don't care about the Constitution. It is an obstacle for them to figure out how to end-run on. Where it is interpreted, it should be obeyed.

Originally Posted by wayneman

well, gee. ok.so how does the federal government get away with not enforcing laws on the books voted for by American citizens, to protect American citizens from enemies, domestic or foreign?

They get paid whether they do their jobs or not, because Americans unwittingly agreed to give the government their money under threat of fines, jail or worse, without any condition that the government do its job first.



The FairTax fixes that problem.

www.fairtax.org