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Business, Free Enterprise and Constitutional Issues; Pro-Life and Pro Second Amendment. Susan Lynn is a member of the Tennessee General Assembly. She serves as Chairman of the Consumer and Human Resources subcommittee, a member of the Finance Ways and Means Committee and the Ethics Committee. She holds a BS in economics and a minor in history.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Lynn to Chair Special Committee on State Sovereignty

The Special Committee on State Sovereignty met this week to fulfill the requirements of HJR 108; a resolution to the to the US Congress from the Tennessee General Assembly in support of the Tenth Amendment. The resolution calls for a committee of Conference and Correspondence to communicate the resolution to the legislatures of the several states, and to call for 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.

State Representative Susan Lynn (R - Lebanon) was elected Chairman of the committee and State Representative Ron Lollar (R-Memphis) Secretary.

Representative Lynn proposed the letter below to send to the states. She authored the letter which outlines the purpose of American government, the abuses of the federal government and to ask for the states to join Tennessee in working to enumerate and repeal such actions.

The committee will additionally seek the assistance of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Council of State Governments and the National Conference of State Legislatures. The committee will author a letter to the groups to asking for assistance in forming working groups of state legislators from the various states to create a plan of action to defend of the Tenth Amendment.

Others members of the committee are Senator Douglas Henry, Senator Bill Ketron, Senator Tim Burchett, Senator Randy McNally, Representative Phillip Johnson, Representative Richard Floyd.

The committee will meet again in a month.


Letter to the states

We send greetings from the Tennessee General Assembly. On June 23, 2009, House Joint Resolution 108, 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 that purpose that this letter addresses your honorable body.

In 1776, our founding fathers declared our freedom in the magnificent Declaration of Independence; our guide to governance. They established a nation of free and independent states. Declaring that the purpose of our political system is to secure for its citizens’ their natural rights. The Constitution authorizes the national government to carry out seventeen enumerated powers in Article 1, Section 8 and the powers of several of the ensuing amendments.

At the time of the Constitutional ratification process James Madison drafted the “Virginia Plan” to give Congress general legislative authority and to empower the national judiciary to hear any case that might cause friction among the states, to give the congress a veto over state laws, to empower the national government to use the military against the states, and to eliminate the states’ accustomed role in selecting members of Congress. Each one of these proposals was soundly defeated. In fact, Madison made many more attempts to authorize a national veto over state laws, and these were repeatedly defeated as well.

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.

In Liberty,

Susan Lynn
State Representative

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Dear Representative Lynn, First, I want to thank you for your loyalty to the US Constitution and your labor of love for your country. As a 68 year old American Patriot and retired law enforcment officer, I am deeply troubled about the direction the Obama Administration is taking our country. As a matter of fact, I have constant anxiety about what is happening. It's truly frightening to think that we may soon lose all our liberties. Please continue in your honorable effort to thwart this radical socialist administration. Thank you again and again. Tom Kasnick, Santa Rosa, CA

Anonymous said...

Be sure to link up with http://thepatrickhenrycaucus.org/ (it is a group of legislators in Utah).

See also http://www.committeesofsafety.org/ which is an important citizens' group.

Anonymous said...

Dear Representative Lynn, Although you do not represent me in the State Legislature, I wanted to write and applaud you for the stand you are taking against the attempts of the Federal Government to overstep its constitutional bounds. You are a voice of reason when one is badly needed. I only wish there were more like you speaking out! I wish you every success in the fight you are waging and thank you for your work and service in the great state of Tennessee!

Sincerely,

Amy Bettenhausen

Anonymous said...

Madam, you are a wonderful representative to the people of Tennessee, and with this, to the people of the US. Thank you for your bravery. I know you realize that it isn't only the Obama administration that has ruined our country, but also the previous administrations. Corruption is so complete at the national level, that it will take strong states like yours, to make erosions into their iron grip. Thank you and be strong.

truthwins said...

Super job Ms Lynn.

May all your co-laborers across the USA who read this be moved. Some encouraged to follow your lead, some shaken from their lethargy, but all spurred to action.

Furhtermore, may you be blessed with wisdom and boldness to light a fire that will consume all that oppose this resolution.

Thank you very much.

JC Chelm

Michael Morrison said...

Great job, Rep. Lynn.
This 10th Amendment movement is one of the most important in the country.
Please stay strong.

Anonymous said...

Dear Representative Lyn, I want to thank you for your efforts in taking a stand against the attempts of the fedral goverment in overstepping its constitutional boundries. I am from CA. But I want to wish you every success in this fight and will keep this up in my prayers...Thank you for your work and great service that the citzens of TN. are blessed with in haveing you as their representative.I pray that every state come as one in this fight for our constitutional rights.

Sincerely,
Patrice Barkelew

lyra heavenly music said...

Dear Rep. Susan Lynn: Thank You for your efforts to defend Tennessee State Sovereignty! Also see WorldNetDaily article "State launches boycott of 'unconstitutional' federal laws" http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=113606 Thank You.

psychictaxi said...

Dear Rep. Lynn,
YOU ROCK! This letter is the best thing I've read ALL YEAR - As an Arizona Delegate to the upcoming Continental Congress next month your letter encapsules our goal quite nicely. Duly-elected Representatives of the fifty states will gather in St. Charles, Illinois to do just what you suggest - discussing the violations to the U.S.Constitution by the fedgov and delineating concrete actions the People can take to correct said violations. I hope you have received your invitation as we have asked every member of the State Legislatures to attend as observers. If not, allow me to personally invite you - info can be found at www.givemeliberty.org .

Sincerely and Respectfully,

Ed Vallejo, AZ Delegate and State Coordinator
Continental Congress 2009

Unknown said...

YES, YES, YES!!! Please tell us how we can helpgive this movement "legs!"--pm__

Doug said...

Are there minutes from the meeting?