Late last year, Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) was asked about the constitutionality of the pending Obamacare legislation. He answered that “most of the stuff we do is not authorized by the Constitution.” Not a surprise to anyone paying attention, and a bit of a lowball estimate, IMHO. The extraordinary thing about this was that it was the first time I’d heard an elected official admit, in public, that the Congress doesn’t care what the Constitution says. Since then, it’s been openly stated at an ever increasing frequency.

We have crossed a line. They no longer fear the people.

Politicians have always liked spending other people’s money. It’s the easy way to get votes. They are also masters at creating novel, stealthy ways to skirt fiscal, monetary, or Constitutional limits and to keep their actions out of the limelight. In the past, however, they were afraid of popular sentiment, and would back off when the complaints and protests got to a certain point, or as a last resort, when elections got near. Not any more.

Boondoggles like TARP, financial gerrymandering of Wall Street, takeovers of the auto industry, takeover of the medical industry, troops in over 100 countries with open ended missions. The list goes on, but the point is they just do it, without any legitimate authority, because they can. And because they’ve always gotten away with it by playing on our compassion, “We have to help (fill in the blank).”

The constant barrage of guilt trips on the middle class, personal attacks, and derogatory labels have made common sense people retreat in fear rather than speak up.

Our self-appointed rulers will never stop. Getting angry and voting every other November isn’t often enough, and every bad batch is just replaced with another. In fact, our rulers count on our short memories.

The check on their power grab lies with the states, and fortunately, the Constitution was set up for just this eventuality. We must reacquaint ourselves with the pecking order so clearly spelled out in the 10th amendment and work at the local and state level to return power where it belongs.

States can act immediately when DC oversteps and nullify their antics. South Carolina, among others, is directly challenging the health care reform law. It’s an attack on personal liberty, state sovereignty, the entire medical profession, and serves only to continue the power and influence of the elites.

Our freedom depends on it.

cross-posted from the South Carolina Tenth Amendment Center

Scott Martin

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