As you know, Tennessee has called on several national organizations to form working groups on federalism and state sovereignty.
This Wall Street Journal article describes well what we are examining in ALEC.ORG's Federalism and Sovereignty working group.
The States Can Check Washington's Power
States should be able to directly propose constitutional amendments.
About Me
- ...
- 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.
4 comments:
Susan,
We are behind you..please keep the tenacity up fighting the socialism coming from Washington. I am worried for my job and family if this passes. I am joining all the tea party efforts to have our voice heard against all of this reckless they're trying to do to us, as well as writing on my own blog to try to encourage others. Please keep up the good work!
Strange that article didn't once mention the 17th Amendment and how the legislatures of the various states used to play a key role in the federal government through the appointment of US Senators.
The danger we face isn't so much in asserting our rights to self-determination. But in the inevitable federal response.
Regardless of party, representatives of the national government are unified across all three branches in their belief in federal supremacy.
Of paramount importance in the fight for state sovereignty is finding a peaceful way to overcome over-reaches in federal authority that are supported by currently established constitutional [case] "law."
Some examples:
1. the gross misinterpretation of the 'commerce clause' that has been used by the federals to reach into the states and dictate behavior.
2. the fallacy of making part of the introductory paragraph (i.e. preamble) a 'catchall clause' that has supported some of the worst federal abuses simply by referencing the words "promote the general welfare."
3. the abuse of liberties using the power "to make all laws necessary and proper..." as a basis for authority
4. The complete userpation of state sovereignty accomplished (at the point of a bayonet) by Section one of the 14th Amendment.
5. The loss of of state representation in the federal government with the passage of the 17th amendment.
...this last item [the 17th amendment) is particularly disturbing when considered in light of the fact that [contrary to popular misconception], the United States are a Constitutional Republic made up of independent states who have entered into a voluntary compact, and granted [via the constitution] a small set of enumerated powers to the national government, and charged it with fulfilling a limited set of tasks using those powers "few and defined."
And that's just the highlights reel.
We need to either accept the futility of asserting state sovereignty with toothless legislation...or, we need to stand up, and proclaim boldly that this is a nation "of the states, by the states, and for the states," and put our money where our mouth is [legislatively speaking], and write some harsh consequences into any sovereignty legislation.
Otherwise, we're just spinning our wheels and wasting money.
The Austin American-Statesman put my op-ed online on this topic, Nullification is a serious option", which presents the key components of effective legislation on this.
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