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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 reasoning was that since the U.S. Constitution imposed some qualifications on Congress people, such as age restrictions and citizen requirements. The states could not legislate additional requirements.

In a well reasoned and clear statement for federalism, Clarence Thomas dissented with, “It is ironic that the Court bases today’s decision on the right of the people to ‘choose whom they please to govern them’.” Under our Constitution, there is only one State whose people have the right to ‘choose whom they please’ to represent Arkansas in Congress… Nothing in the Constitution deprives the people of each State of the power to prescribe eligibility requirements for the candidates who seek to represent them in Congress. The Constitution is simply silent on this question. And where the Constitution is silent, it raises no bar to action by the States or the people.”

Justice Thomas is correct. There is no real Constitutional basis for this split Supreme Court ruling. It is the ruling on the whims and political view of five lawyers.  At the end of this Blog are states that still have federal term limits in their laws and/or constitution. As best I can determine, these states still have these statutes on the record. If the governor or Secretary of State deems that in Inc. v. Thornton, the U.S Supreme Court does not have the authority to make their ruling, then they could prevent these multi-term federal politicians from appearing on the ballot. A grass roots effort in these states might persuade one of them to do this. Continue Reading →

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Twelfthers?

It is amazing that during Thanksgiving week, there are still some obsessing publicly over the presidential election earlier this month.  A recent article from World Net Daily details how the Electoral College could be prevented from selecting a president.  To add to a Tenther’s list of reasons to be thankful, let’s include no longer being wrapped up in this nonsense.

Technically, Judson Phillips is correct as he outlines the ways in which the Twelfth Amendment can prevent President Obama from serving another term.  In order for the Electoral Votes to be certified, a quorum of two-thirds of the 50 states must participate in the Electoral College.  If seventeen of the twenty-four states can be persuaded to do this, the Electoral College will not have a quorum and will be unable to renew Obama’s lease at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Phillips calls on readers in what could call dubbed the “Twelfther” movement to contact the Secretaries of State in the states Romney carried and tell them not to participate in the Electoral College in the hopes of denying Democratic states the necessary quorum.

If the Electoral College does not choose a president, the decision constitutionally goes to the Congress, with the Republican-dominated House being likely to choose Romney as president and the enlarged Democrat majority in the Senate reelecting Vice President Joe Biden to his post.  If that happens, what then?

Phillips admits Romney would not be a great president, but he would be better than Obama.  How much better, in terms of results, would a Romney presidency be given the current makeup of Congress?  Let’s explore this. Continue Reading →

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Do the Secessionists Have As Much Courage As the Nullifiers?

By now, anybody who even casually follows the Tenther movement and the liberty movement in general has likely heard about the secession petitions circulating.  Yesterday, I had personally gone from only hearing about Louisiana, to hearing my State of New Jersey had one too, to hearing the count was up to twenty States.  That could be an old number by the time this makes it into the Tenth Amendment Center blog.

The language of these petitions is interesting, as they “ask” the federal government to let said States peaceably withdraw from the United States.  Although I confess to having signed, originally for Louisiana upon first finding out, and then for New Jersey, it was more out of curiosity than anything else.

Apparently, any State circulating these petitions requires a minimum of 25,000 signatures within thirty days in order to receive a White House response.  Texas has nearly double the required signatures, and Louisiana is likely a day away from hitting the threshold.  Several states are beyond halfway there.  Check to see if your State is on the list.  While you’re at it, go ahead and sign, so you can get your response.  The most likely response from the White House is a familiar word to anybody in the nullification movement, “No.” Continue Reading →

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VA Senate Kills Intrastate Commerce Act Without a Vote

Another year, another trip to the Senate Death Star for the Intrastate Commerce Act (HB1438). Without even recording a vote, the elected “representatives” on the Senate Commerce and Labor Sub-Committee #1 left Virginia residents and businesses exposed to the economic and regulatory ravages of every federal agency from the EPA to the FDA to the BATF.

When will enough be enough for Virginia voters? Statewide elections in November…

Members of the C&L Sub-Committee #1 (who should be retired to private life in 2011)

Sen. Richard L. Saslaw (D) (804) 698-7535 district35@senate.virginia.gov (chairman)
Sen. John S. Edwards (D) (804) 698-7521 district21@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. A. Donald McEachin (D) (804) 698-7509 district09@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. Thomas K. Norment, Jr. (R) (804) 698-7503 district03@senate.virginia.gov
Sen. John C. Watkins, (R) (804) 698-7510 district10@senate.virginia.gov

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Glad it’s Over

I’m glad that the elections are finally – FINALLY – over. It’s my view that, as some wise person once said, if elections ever solved anything, they’d be outlawed by our “leaders.”

Maybe that’s why those leaders would like to tell us that nullification is “illegal” – because it can actually work.

It’s my belief that liberty will never be handed to us by politicians – close or far. It will only be taken by our own very actions, our own agitation in defense of it, and our own sacrifices made in support of it.

We’ve got a long way to go, and a lot of work to do. But the time to act is today – not tomorrow. Will you help us spread the message of liberty today?

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I Voted to Contain Washington, DC!

Who we elect to represent us in Phoenix, Austin, Nashville and countless other state capitals across the country is FAR more important than who we elect to represent us in Washington, DC.  The bad news is that the federal government can’t and won’t be reformed anytime in the near future. Even if Tea Party candidates and others dedicated to upholding the Constitution were to make up more than one quarter of the seats in Congress, (which will never happen) they would still be a small minority fighting an uphill battle. Forget the fact that for every 750,000 Americans, there is only 1 person in Congress to represent them. Is that what you would call meaningful representation? Hardly.

The good news is that states don’t have to obey unconstitutional federal legislation forced upon them and the disappointment we are sure to experience between now and next year is a great opportunity for us all to get real! When it comes to the overlords who rule us from Washington, DC, I urge you to consider the idea that it may be time to switch from a policy of regime change to a policy of containment. That policy of containment is called NULLIFICATION!

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The Time is Upon Us

[Editors Note: The following is the Kern River Valley Tea Party Address, October 2, 2010, Keynote Speaker Dr. Harold W. Pease.]

The 2nd American Revolution is upon us. This is one of hundreds of like-minded tea party gatherings this month held throughout the country urging all patriots to the front. You have answered this call. Those who sit this one out will condemn themselves to like leadership and enslaving taxation for years to come. You are doing this for your children and those not yet born. You must not fail them now. This is as serious as it was in 1776. The big difference is that we can do it in the ballot box. Please bring your friends and encourage everyone to vote for returning to the Constitution, which, if followed, limits government, ensures fiscal responsibility, and stimulates the free market.

In 2009 we gained the confidence of the people with over 2600 similar Tea Party gatherings–probably more demonstrations against excessive government in our lives than collectively in U. S. History. The establishment media sought to destroy us by first calling us “astro-turf,” then “mobs,” then finally “racist”—all intentional lies. It did not work. Instead, the public saw their dads and moms of all back grounds and color, rich and poor alike, demonstrating in the streets uttering words similar to those uttered by the Founders 234 years ago. The media, looking for conflict to discredit the movement, never found it. We beat the media. The public has confidence in us because we are they and they are we and the lies of the media lay exposed as did their roll as accomplices in the deterioration of our liberty. Only Fox news supported us. Continue Reading →

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Krysia Weidell, candidate for MN SD67, on the 10th amendment

The following video is an interview by radio talk show host Sue Jeffers of KTLK 100.3 in the Twin Cities.  She is talking with MN State Senate candidate Krysia Weidell.

What a blessing to have a candidate of this caliber stepping up!  We the People need more candidates of this caliber if we ever hope to restore our founders  vision of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

For those of us who are sick and tired of electing representatives who take it upon themselves to become our masters, it is our right, it is our duty to elect representatives who will make their allegiance to the Constitution greater than party politics or self.

It is indeed for an honor for this veteran to know Krysia Weidell.

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Declare Your Independence!

Many of us in Tennessee have been greatly disappointed in the outcomes of the August primary.  Unfortunately many of the best party candidates were eliminated during the primaries, and members of the liberty movement in Tennessee have expressed their frustration and concern at the outcome.  The two party system has yet again failed, in most cases, to produce candidates who will fight to push back the federal government into its proper constitutional role.  Instead, we are left with an over-abundance of candidates in both parties who will only maintain the status quo and continue to allow the expansion of the slow and steady intrusion of the federal government into the lives of Americans.

Almost daily, I hear people extol the virtues of holding one’s nose and voting for the lesser of two evils.  They say, “we must vote Republican or we waste our vote.”  Where is the virtue in voting for an evil, even if it the lesser of two?  John Quincy Adams certainly didn’t agree.

“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.” – John Quincy Adams

Looking back at the elections in which I have voted, all I have done my entire adult life is to hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils.  I suspect that this what most people do.  All voting for the lesser of two evils has done is push us closer and closer to the precipice of the same tyranny from which our Founders fought so hard to free us.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein certainly hit the nail on the head with his definition of insanity.  We, the voters, cannot keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results.  All we will get is more of the same – career politicians who are more concerned with maintaining their political power and perks than in doing what is right for our country.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some incredible Republican candidates out there who are firmly committed to restoring the federal government to its proper constitutional role.  Several of those candidates are listed below.  Unfortunately there aren’t enough of them.  We have to stop doing the same thing over and over again, and instead start voting for constitutional conservatives who understand the proper role of government, regardless of party.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE

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The Power of the Electoral College

It is written in the constitution that states may decide how electors
are selected for the president of the United States. This is the main
provision in the constitution that decides how electors are to be
chosen. Most states have chosen to use direct popular vote within
their own states and the result is that we think that states can’t
alter how it chooses electors. This is false because the democratic
choice of electors was granted to the people of each state by the
state legislators so it is reasonable to conclude that the same
legislatures can place additional burdens on the electors.

The state of Arizona has a bill that will not allow its electors
released until the president can verify that he matches the
requirements to be president of the United States. Once this bill is
enacted into law then the current president or any president for that
matter will have to prove to the state of Arizona that the president
meets the constitutional requirements to be president. Continue Reading →

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