Efforts in more than half of the state legislatures to assert state sovereignty under the 10th Amendment to the Constitution and prevent unwanted impositions by the federal government are now running into serious partisan opposition. Most of these bills have been introduced and are supported by Republican legislators and Democrats are doing everything they can to block them and make sure that their states comply with federal mandates issued by a national Congress dominated by their party. They seem more concerned with profiting from their control of the federal government than in protecting the rights of their citizens and being fiscally responsible.
In the last week three states with Democrat dominated legislatures have rejected state sovereignty resolutions. The Arkansas state sovereignty resolution was defeated in committee along straight partisan lines with a 10-8 vote. In Washington the Democratic chairman of the committee on Government and Tribal Affairs killed the bill by refusing to put it on the agenda. In New Hamphire, Representative Daniel Itse's radically worded sovereignty resolution was one of the first entered and one of the most widely supported. Yet last week, with hundreds protesting in the snow and freezing temperatures outside the New Hampshire state house, it was defeated in a 216-150 vote along party lines. The enthusiasm of the citizens of New Hampshire (shown in the video at right) for their Constitutional rights was not enough to wake up Democratic legislators and convince them to vote against unfunded mandates and federal attacks on citizen rights.
In addition to these three states where sovereignty has been blocked, two states (Ohio, Florida) are long shots for passage of sovereignty because they are trying to do it through petitioning their state legislatures. That still leaves 23 states with resolutions in some stage of development or consideration. Of those states, 12 have at least one house of their state legislatures dominated by Democrats, including Oklahoma which has been one of the leaders in the movement. The current trend suggests that none of these states will be able to pass a sovereignty resolution until the composition of their legislatures changes, though there might be a slim hope for Oklahoma and Louisiana where some of the Democrats are more conservative.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - handyguy
Good Lord. Dave is now actually [pretending to] call for blood on the streets.
It's not really that slow a news day, is it?
Guns, state sovereignty....will the next article be about Black Helicopters?
2 - Cindy
Dave's just calling for activism.
3 - Eric Dondero
In other words the message is loud and clear:
VOTE REPUBLICAN!
(And that includes all you cynical Libertarian Party partisans out there).
4 - Silas Kain
I'm all for activism as long as it's with a condom.
5 - Cindy
Yeah Eric,
As they say...been there dun that.
6 - Cindy
Nah, I think Dave is ready to march.
7 - Silas Kain
A movement back toward sovereignty may be the last best hope for a continuation of the entity known as the United States. If Dave marches, I will be there with him.
8 - Dave Nalle
Glad to see you guys read all the way to the second page, and as Cindy suggested I was suggesting marching and other methods of peaceful but potentially disruptive civil disobedience, not slaughter.
Dave
9 - roger nowosielski
"With the economic crisis worsening, federal spending out of control, and the Obama administration targeting gun rights and raising taxes, popular opposition to overreaching government is growing stronger and stronger."
One could get the impression here as though the Republicans, who have been in power for the past eight years, had nothing whatsoever to do with all the ailments are besetting us us - almost as though it's the present administration, which has been in office barely two months, had brought it all upon us.
A very nice presentation of facts, Mr. Nalle: as usual, you're true to form.
So we conveniently forget that Washington is doing what they think best to get us of this this crisis and focus instead on our rights as citizens!
Never mind whether you agree with these measures or not; it's not really all that important what your personal opinion on this matter may or may not be. Really, it's beside the point.
What I'd like to know, however: Where was your voice all along, for the past eight years, concerning human and citizens' rights while the corrupt business along with those in the government have colluded to bring all this mess upon us?
I really would like to be able to extend you much greater credibility if your libertarian principles were equally strongly articulated during the Bush regime. But in light of the fact that they weren't, your cry does indeed seems very hollow to me.
Nice try, Mr. Nalle, but no cigar.
10 - Anonymoustache & Glasses
Hey Dave,
I'll be at a protest in DC in about 10 days. It won't look much like one you'll attend. Unless you like this great singer.
I'm bringing a video camera. I'll be the one with the dark glasses and the moustache carrying the first aid and keeping out of trouble.
11 - roger nowosielski
Yep, just the kind of rally for Mr. Nalle.
12 - Clavos
So, Cindy, back to DC again, huh?
13 - Dave Nalle
Well, 'stache, I do like me some Johnny Cash.
But at the protests I attend we're proud to stand up for liberty and don't need to wear masks because we're doing something embarassing.
Dave
14 - Cindy
Clav,
I didn't go to DC. I went to Essex County NJ for an immigrant detention protest.
15 - Cindy
ooops Middlesex
very upsetting
16 - Cindy
Dave,
You forgot to say "nah nah nah nah nah nah"...at the end there.
:-)
17 - Dave Nalle
One could get the impression here as though the Republicans, who have been in power for the past eight years, had nothing whatsoever to do with all the ailments are besetting us us - almost as though it's the present administration, which has been in office barely two months, had brought it all upon us.
This article is about democrats blocking state sovereignty efforts. That's got zero to do with the previous administration.
So we conveniently forget that Washington is doing what they think best to get us of this this crisis and focus instead on our rights as citizens!
I tried to focus a bit on both. One of the worst violations of our rights is to mismanage the country into bankruptcy in our names.
What I'd like to know, however: Where was your voice all along, for the past eight years, concerning human and citizens' rights while the corrupt business along with those in the government have colluded to bring all this mess upon us?
Roger, there's a link at the end of the article to my BC writer page. If you care to go back and read some of my past articles you'll find plenty which are critical of the Bush administration on a variety of issues.
I really would like to be able to extend you much greater credibility if your libertarian principles were equally strongly articulated during the Bush regime. But in light of the fact that they weren't, your cry does indeed seems very hollow to me.
Except, of course, that they were just as strongly articulated. You just happened not to be here reading them and -- as you often do -- jumped to an erroneous conclusion.
Here are some highlights for you to go peruse.
Your Papers Please
They Shoot Mad Dogs, Don't They?
Do or Die Time on National IDs
Welcome to the Police State
Flag Burning, Congress Finally Gets its Priorities Straight
Life, Liberty and NOTHING
The Three Stooges Go to Washington
Free the GITMO 500
I could go on and on. I wrote over 500 articles while Bush was in office, plenty of them critical of his policies when they were bad ones -- which was often enough. The ones I link to are only a fraction of them.
Dave
18 - roger nowosielski
Fine, Dave, you were critical. But you must admit that the opening line from the paragraph I cited does create that kind of impression. You're too good of a writer not to be aware of that.
19 - Dave Nalle
But Roger, the fact that I oppose the oppressive actions of the current administration says nothing about whether I excuse or condone past actions of other administrations. If I like chocolate ice cream does that mean I'm not allowed to like vanilla too?
Dave
20 - roger nowosielski
No argument there, Dave. I was referring only to the manner in which you couched it.
21 - Dave Nalle
Have you checked the papers lately, Roger? Bush is off planting rose bushes and Obama is in the White House.
Dave
22 - roger nowosielski
You want me to accept this as a refutation?
OK, then I will.
23 - RJ
The movement is growing. The tea parties taking place all over the country, gun stores selling out of ammunition, Ron Paul's Campaign For Liberty, Glenn Beck's We Surround Them movement, etc. There is a die-hard 30% or so in this country who are strongly opposed to socialism. It's frankly incredible that so many people are waking up and becoming activist so soon, just 50 days after 0bama took office.
If 2010 doesn't become 1994, I fear that 2012 might become 1776. (Or Orwell's 1984.)
24 - roger nowosielski
Right, RJ. So you don't mind being fucked by unscrupulous corporations. To each his own, I guess.
25 - Dave Nalle
Wow roger, that was a non-sequiter.
But RJ, this movement started before Obama took office -- even well before the election. People were plenty tired of overreaching government while Bush was in charge of it. Obama is just accelerating things.
Dave