The Muddled Thinking of a New York Times Intellectual
On Dec. 30, the New York Times editorial page featured what has to qualify as one of the most intellectually vapid columns of the year. And considering the source, that’s saying something! Louis Michael Seidman says we simply must do away with our blind obedience to the Constitution! As the nation teeters at the edge [...]
On the Limits of Federal Supremacy: When States Relax (or Abandon) Marijuana Bans
by By Robert A. Mikos, CATO Institute The American Constitution divides governmental power between the federal government and several state governments. In the event of a conflict between federal law and state law, the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution (Article VI, Clause 2) makes it clear that state policies are subordinate to federal policies. There [...]
Nevada Legislature to Consider NDAA-Nullifying Bill
On December 19, the Nevada chapters of People Against the National Defense Authorization Act (PANDA) announced the introduction of BDR 728, the Nevada Liberty Preservation Act. Sponsored by Nevada State Senator Don Gustavson, the bill will be presented to lawmakers in February, when the state legislature reconvenes. In a statement announcing the impending introduction of the bill, the [...]
Freedom is Against the Law
Freedom was illegal in the Colonies in 1776 and Freedom is still illegal in America today. Those that signed the Declaration of Independence knew that a tyrannical government would never relinquish its power without resistance. Governments are supposed to protect the rights of the people, but if they are not held in check, they will [...]
The NRA’s Panic Attack
by Gene Healy, CATO Institute A few days ago, I made the mordant observation that the wake of the Newtown elementary school massacre would usher in “a brief period in which conservatives rue legislative panics in pursuit of perfect safety,” but come the next terrorist attack, everyone would switch sides. Apparently, I spoke too soon. In an [...]
Making a Mockery of the Bill of Rights
If ever one needed a cogent example of why relying on the federal government to comply with the constitution and protect the liberties of the people is hopeless, the senate just gave one. Robert Wenzel reports over at his EconomicPolicyJournal that in a 79 to 12 vote, the senate rejected an amendment to the Foreign [...]
How Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson Destroyed Constitutional Freedom
“The radical change in the relationship of the federal government to individual Americans was ratcheted up greatly in the Progressive Era,” argues Judge Andrew Napolitano in his new book, Theodore and Woodrow: How Two American Presidents Destroyed Constitutional Freedom. The first decades of the 20th century saw an assault on individual liberties that was both [...]
Nullify Term Limits?
Term limits are one of most popular political issues of the day. Most think of achieving this with a Constitutional Amendment, but there is another way: with nullification. Before 1995, states were legislating term limits. Then in Inc. v. Thornton, 514 U.S. 779,(1995) in a 5 to 4 split decision, the Supreme Court ruled term limits unconstitutional. Their [...]
Will South Carolina Nullify Federal Gun Laws?
The South Carolina legislature will consider a bill that would nullify a considerable amount of assumed federal power over firearms – the Firearms Freedom Act. Senate Bill 85 (SB85) states that, “A personal firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in South Carolina and that remains within the borders of [...]
Government Security is Just Another Kind of Violence
by Ron Paul The senseless and horrific killings last week in Newtown, Connecticut reminded us that a determined individual or group of individuals can cause great harm no matter what laws are in place. Connecticut already has restrictive gun laws relative to other states, including restrictions on fully automatic, so-called “assault” rifles and gun-free zones. [...]
Arizona Uses Bill of Rights to Make History on Capitol Grounds
December 15th is National Bill of Rights Day, which was the perfect day to dedicate the nation’s first monument to The Bill of Rights. The monuments were erected right across from the Arizona State Capitol in Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza. Positioned upright are the 10 limestone monoliths, all of which stand 10-foot tall. Each stone [...]
Gun Bans and their moral and logical inconsistency
In order to remain logically consistent, anybody favoring banning so-called “assault weapons,” or guns in general, must also support banning alcohol with equal passion. Ostensibly, gun banners hold their position based on a desire to protect lives and prevent tragedies. Obama alluded to this in a statement made in the wake of the horrible mass [...]
Keep it Simple Stupid
There I sat in front of the tube with three remotes, 202 buttons, one frazzled brain and no sound. Regardless of the buttons I pressed, it appeared I would watch the evening news and not hear it. My wife saw my dilemma, turned the TV off and then back on, and voila! I said, “thanks.” [...]
Federalization of State Militias: Another Attack on the Second Amendment
Since the soul-shaking murder of 20 children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, one week ago, thousands of articles have been written calling for increased federal control over the right of an individual to own a gun. Such proposals are perhaps an expected though ineffectual and unconstitutional reaction to [...]
State’s Rights Chrestomathy & Entropy of federal programs
The propensity of federal over-reach programs to die on the vine, to fail due to bureaucratic entropy over time is the newest BIG SECRET. Yes, federal programs sometimes seem to rise like the Phoenix, again and again, but in today’s climate of falling budgets, and an economy elongated downturn, things are different. Matt Ehling, in [...]
No Koch money here!
The other day, I was perusing comments on an article a reporter over at the Washington Times Communities section wrote in which she extensively quoted me. A comment by “Charles” gave me quite a chuckle when he associated the nullification movement with the Koch Brothers. Of course, progressives love to throw Koch out as a [...]
NRA says to hell with the Constitution
(Dec. 21, 2012) – A week after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, the National Rifle Association finally broke its silence. On Friday, NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre tried to out-blame the gun-blamers. He focused his attention on Hollywood. He focused his attention on violent video games. He focused his attention on the [...]
It’s Like Whack-a-Mole, But With the Same Mole Each Time
Robert Parry is a left-wing writer who tries to make the Framers of the Constitution into Hillary Clinton, 200 years early. He makes the same arguments again and again. I refute them. He continues to make them. He pretends my answers do not exist. This time, he’s got the whole leftist kit and kaboodle in one [...]
Efforts to Nullify NDAA detention picking up steam in Nevada
CARSON CITY, Nev. – With the federal government apparently intent on maintaining the power to kidnap people in the United States, the movement to thwart any such action continues to grow at the state and local level. Earlier this week, conference committee members hammering out a compromise version of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act [...]
A Look Ahead – Time To Plan
As the year 2012 draws to a close, the New Jersey Tenth Amendment Center is looking ahead to 2013 knowing there is a lot of work to do. A few short weeks ago, we gave thanks for the victories we achieved due to the hard work of activists in our group as well as other [...]
Indiana Introduces Bill Nullifying UN ‘Agenda 21′
Indiana State Representative Tim Neese has introduced a bill that would block implementation of UN “Agenda 21″ policies in the state. HB 1021 would amend the Indiana Code concerning state and local administration. “An Indiana governmental entity may not adopt or implement: (1) certain policy recommendations relating to the United Nations’ 1992 ‘Agenda 21’ conference [...]
Piers Morgan Reduced to Name Calling in Gun Control Debate
In case you haven’t seen this yet, here’s CNN’s Piers Morgan interviewing my friend Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America. Morgan behaves like a child, using the words “stupid” and “idiot” to refer to his guest, and Pratt keeps his cool. Morgan is totally outclassed, though that itself isn’t much of a feat, I [...]
Tennessee Bill would Ban Expansion of Medicaid Under Obamacare
According to recommendations from the Tenth Amendment Center, there are four major steps that states can take to play a part in the nullification of the Affordable Care Act, AKA Obamacare. (read about all four here) So far, Tennessee has passed a Health Care Freedom Act and has rejected a state exchange, The third and [...]
