By DemocracyRules
h/t Texas Darlin, Freedom Arizona
This is about the states re-asserting their rights. Not all of these states have passed the legislation yet. But all 7 are active, and more states are in the preliminary stages.
An important note about the phrase “Sovereignty Legislation”. NO STATES are seriously planning to secede from the USA. The US Constitution grants a large degree of sovereignty to the states. The US began as a union of independent colonies. Those colonies became united by their own initiative and consent, without compulsion.
The 10th Amendment confirms the powers of the states. As Arizona says, “The Tenth Amendment was intended to confirm the understanding of the people at the time the Constitution was adopted, that powers not granted to the United States were reserved to the States or to the people. It added nothing to the instrument as originally ratified.” — United States v. Sprague, 282 U.S. 716, 733 (1931).
Unless some power is explicitly given to the feds in the Constitution, then the feds do not have that power. This is NOT the beginning of the breakup of the USA or anything. These are the states saying, “Don’t you push us around... Obama and Congress, you get back inside the Constitution, and stop trying to force things upon the states... Just because you pass something in Washington doesn’t mean we will go along with it!”
To me, this is a constitutional crisis, because the states have to go this far to protect their rights. Clearly they feel railroaded.
But I think this is a good thing, this re-balancing conforms to the intentions of the Constitution. It also limits Obama’s powers, just when that’s vitally needed.
Obama’s Eligibility May Become Part of this Fight.
Arizona has some very tough talk, including plans to recall Arizonans serving in the US military to return to Arizona if states’ rights are violated.
“…if the President or any other federal entity attempts to institute martial law or its equivalent without an official declaration in one or more of the states without the consent of that state … individual members of the military return to their respective states and report to the Governor until a new President is elected…”
Arizona clearly fears a crisis, and challenges the authority of the President to lead the military if he breaches the Constitution.
The 7 states include:
Washington State
New Hampshire
Arizona
Montana
Michigan
Missouri
Oklahoma
States considering legislation: Colorado, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Montana, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Alaska, Kansas, Alabama, Nevada, Maine, Illinois.
Pro Patria
Gina, just wanted to let you know I just posted this over at Orly's site. May take a bit before it's visible but I know she will post it. By the way, I think I'm falling in love with you, I mean your blog. Ha! Ha!
I find this interesting, From http://ginacobb.typepad.com/ If you don't have Gina's Blog on your favorites list you should.
I find it interesting because as Obama seems to be in a rush to sign and pass everything all under the same rhetoric as Global Warming (If we don't act now we will have catastrophe) Individual states are in a rush to introduce sovereignty bills. In Arizona's, the home of presidential nominee and republican senator John McCain, Gina has this posted,
To me, this is a constitutional crisis, because the states have to go this far to protect their rights. Clearly they feel railroaded.
But I think this is a good thing, this re-balancing conforms to the intentions of the Constitution. It also limits Obama’s powers, just when that’s vitally needed.
Obama’s Eligibility May Become Part of this Fight.
Arizona has some very tough talk, including plans to recall Arizonans serving in the US military to return to Arizona if states’ rights are violated.
“…if the President or any other federal entity attempts to institute martial law or its equivalent without an official declaration in one or more of the states without the consent of that state … individual members of the military return to their respective states and report to the Governor until a new President is elected…”
Posted by: bdaman | February 07, 2009 at 09:42 AM