Letter to Editor: State Senate at standstill over state rights bill

In response to State Senate at standstill over state rights bill by Robert Dalton.

Sens. Hutto and Lourie, you and I both know that actual state sovereignty legislation hasn’t a shadow of a chance of passing if we cannot pass a non-binding state sovereignty resolution. Furthermore, if dealing with the 12% unemployment rate is really more important, get out of the way and pass the “useless” resolution and move on. Contrary to your words, your actions show you feel this is a very significant resolution.

Several binding pieces of states-rights legislation have already been filed or are in the process of being filed, but before we can begin to nullify unconstitutional federal legislation and refuse federal funds for unconstitutional programs, we have to put the feds on notice that the South Carolina legislature believes that the 10th amendment actually means something, and we are prepared to stand our ground.

There is nothing controversial about this bill. This non-binding resolution merely restates what the U.S. Constitution already says, that “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.” We the people see through your political games and we’re sick of it. To Democrats and RINOs alike: stop being obstructionists and get on with business.

Video Footage from the 9/12 March on DC

This excellent HD video by an independent film producer from WI really captures the spirit of the event. Pass it on!

Local Perspective on the 9/12 March on DC

The air crackled with excitement as we marched down Pennsylvania Avenue in what may have been the biggest citizen protest Washington DC has ever seen. Nearly two million Americans from all fifty states converged upon the Capitol on September 12th, 2009, spilling out of the front lawn across the Mall and all the way to the Washington Monument.

As an eyewitness, I can testify to the fact that these were mainstream Americans, not some radical fringe group. I saw both young and old, black and white, most of whom traveled all night by car or bus to be there. The event was marked by politeness and cheerful enthusiasm—not what you would expect for a “mob.”

As a volunteer, I can also testify that the event was grassroots from top to bottom (I haven’t seen any “astroturf” checks in my mailbox!) Personally, I spent $1000 of my own money to be there along with several in my family.

In such economically difficult times, what would drive middle Americans, including many who had never protested before, to take this kind of action? Was it because Obama won the election, as some accuse us? No, we are acting from a sense of outrage, frustration, and fear. Outrage, because our views and values are being trampled by Congress. Frustration, because they are not listening to us. And fear, because we see our free Republic being transformed into a fascist form of government.

The focus of this rally, and all the “tea parties” across the US was not the President or any particular party. It was Congress. Democrats and Republicans alike no longer protect and defend the Constitution of the United States—the only thing their oath of office binds them to.

Rather than letting our economy heal itself, they are bleeding it. Rather than fixing the real causes of skyrocketing healthcare costs, they are taking actions that will eventually kill the quality of America’s world-class healthcare. They are leaving our borders open and endangering our security. While pretending to champion the cause of minorities, they encourage murdering the unborn, the coming generations that could keep America great.

As we marched down Pennsylvania Avenue chanting, “Yes we can—throw you out!”, I realized that Americans are tired of double-dealing and political games. Expect an overhaul of Congress in 2009, 2010, and 2012 (see goooh.com) and watch as this imperial ruling class joins the ranks of the unemployed, one person at a time.

Nullification: Resisting Federal Tyranny

Interesting historical context on state nullification of federal laws from the Tenth Amendment Center.

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Nullification has a long and interesting history in American politics, and originates in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798. These resolutions, secretly authored by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, asserted that states, as sovereign entities, could judge for themselves whether the federal government had overstepped its constitutional bounds, to the point of ignoring federal laws.

Virginia and Kentucky passed the resolutions in response to the federal Alien and Sedition Acts, which provided, in part, for the prosecution of anyone who criticized Congress or the President of the United States.

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Re-establishing State Sovereignty–while preserving the Union

What do you do when Congress continuously tramples our God-given, Constitutionally protected freedoms and refuses to listen to the voice of the people?

What do you do?

The 2010 elections are more than a year away. Will America as we know it still exist then? If Barack Obama in his first 6 months in office can spend more than every prior U.S. President combined, what might the next year hold? TARP, the “porkulus” bill, socialized medicine, Cash-for-clunkers, Cap-and-tax… all the while ignoring the real solutions to the problems we face. What will they do next?

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And Americans have had just about all they are willing to take–especially in Texas.

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Fiat Empire: how the Federal Reserve system is unconstitutional