And what happens if that should come to pass? Will we continue to be a republic with a central Federal government or does the whole shebang start to come apart with states and others doing as they please and treating anything out of Washington as merely a suggestion and not a requirement?
Issues that have been discussed where states and individuals have pushed back against the Feds include gun control, Common Core education standards, Obama Care regulations and requirements, Federal program enrollment such as Medicaid, and other large issues. To review past discussion on this topic, just enter the search term, ‘will the center hold” in the above search box to see how widespread but underreported this push back against federal tyranny and oppression has become.
Today is a continuation of the discussion we started two days ago, the final part, on the latest push backs against the Federal government that are happening around the country as we continue to give examples have how the center might not hold in the face of an overreaching, ineffective, and inefficient Federal government and bureaucracy.
1) State government politicians and office holders from around the country are uniting in an effort to reel in a runaway Federal government and return it to it’s Constitutional foundation and boundaries. A group of them recently met in Indiana to lay the groundwork and set the rules for an Article V Convention of the States.
This is a Constitutional process which allows the states to propose and ratify amendments to the Constitution. The great thing about this Constitutional process is that it allows concerned citizens to bypass a do-nothing Congress that has no interest in passing amendments that would limit the power and reach of both themselves or the Federal government.
More than 22 states so far have begun the process of officially making a convention a reality. Two-thirds, or 34 of the states, have to complete the process for the Convention to be officially called. The first Convention item on their agenda would be a Federal government balanced budget amendment that would rein in Federal government spending.
Consider the insights into our Federal morass and reality from
North Carolina state Representative Chris Millis: “The framers understood the nature of mankind, and that the tendency of the federal government could render it unwilling or incapable to limit its own power and authority. The current generation of Americans has witnessed a constant expansion of federal government scope, power and cost. Many are rightfully concerned that the unsustainable massive debt and its continuing growth will stifle opportunity for liberty and freedom for our children and successive generations. Many believe that America faces its greatest challenge to date.”
Robert Kelly, a staff attorney for the Convention of the States Project, says states need to limit the “power and jurisdiction of the federal government: “I think the bottom line of why it’s so important is Washington, D.C., has gotten to the point where it’s dysfunctional. You don’t have to be a Democrat or Republican to believe that. Certainly it is highly unlikely that Congress will step forward and propose restraints on itself; therefore we must employ the very provision left for such a time as this by way of a Convention of the States to propose amendments.”
We have proven their reasoning many times in this blog. The Federal government has turned itself into Jabba The Hutt from the Star Wars movies: a bloated, immobile, devourer of resources with no societal benefits in return, an impediment to progress.
By reining in its power, Constitutionally, we can finally get the Federal government to focus on far fewer issues and trivialities and maybe finally get something done in an efficient and cost effective manner. Lord knows that nothing gets done now and that nothing is accomplished at a great cost of wealth and liberty.
2) Arizona state politicians have been quite busy in moving to nullify a host of Federal government and Washington politician mandates and laws. They are likely to soon vote on state legislation that would nullify and ignore Federal gun control laws within the state’s borders and are also beginning the discussion of how to also nullify NSA and Federal government spying on its citizens. And finally, they have also demanded an Article V Convention of States to formally rein in Federal government tyranny.
The vote on the nullify process will be under Prop 122. If approved by Arizona voters in November, it would become a state Constitutional amendment that would ensure that state resources and personnel are not wasted on purposes inconsistent with the Constitution. Prop 122 supporters on their website had the following views: “Politicians in Washington are fond of passing far-reaching laws, but more often than not they depend on state and local governments — and state and local taxpayers — to implement them. This means that not only is Congress making life harder for Arizonans, they’re asking us to pay the bill. That’s why a bipartisan majority of the Arizona Legislature came together to pass Prop 122.”
If approved, it will cut the legs out of all critics of nullification since it would represent the will of the good people of Arizona, not the opposition political party.
3) Texas governor Rick Perry has been the news a lot lately regarding the porous borders and humanitarian crisis on our southern border. He and the good people of Texas are daring to do what the Federal government is not doing but is supposed to do: secure our borders and defend the country.
As you would expect, he is just a little upset about the failure of the Obama administration and Congress to do this fundamental job. So much so that he recently proclaimed: “It’s time for us to start a little rebellion…Jefferson was right when he said a little rebellion now and then is a good thing.”
He went on to call for a battle of ideas and compared present day America to “another power-hungry oppressive ruler,” over 200 years ago in King George III. In the 18th century, “we rebelled against it. And it was a good thing,” he said. Therefore, once again, “it’s time for us to start a little rebellion.”
When the head of a state government is calling for a rebellion against Federal tyranny, the question has to be asked: Will the center hold if Washington enacts a law or regulation and the rest of the country simply rebels and ignores it?
That will do it for this update in this series. Over the past three days we have tried to cast some light on the many ways and many issues that local and state governments, along with private citizens, are fighting back against a reckless, out of touch, and dangerous Federal government, federal bureaucracy, and Washington political class.
Will the center hold? We do live in interesting times, possibly historic times that could see a radical change in the direction of the country back towards freedom and limited government. We can only hope.
Our book, "Love My Country, Loathe My Government - Fifty First Steps To Restoring Our Freedom And Destroying The American Political Class" is now available at:
www.loathemygovernment.com
It is also available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Please pass our message of freedom onward. Let your friends and family know about our websites and blogs, ask your library to carry the book, and respect freedom for both yourselves and others everyday.
Please visit the following sites for freedom:
Term Limits Now: http://www.howmuchworsecoulditget.com
http://www.reason.com
http://www.cato.org
http://www.robertringer.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08j0sYUOb5w
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