Preserving Limited Government, 10th Amendment
Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz remarks at the launch of the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Tenth Amendment Studies.
The Empowerment Project
“There are some things the federal government should do here in Washington…but there are a lot of things that state and local governments and the people can do for themselves. We want to make sure that we empower people so that takes place.”
Why are States’ Rights so important?
Here’s the latest book from Walter Kennedy – and his brother James:
A Not So Wacky Proposal
Jonah Goldberg, in the National Review, suggests what he calls a “wacky proposal” – one that readers of this website would likely find to be quite sane. I know I do. So here’s where that wacky proposal I mentioned earlier comes in. Let’s throw it all back to the states. Arizona can be an illegal-immigrant-free [...]
Should Liberals Champion States’ Rights?
Regular readers of this blog will know that the answer to that question is a resounding YES! But for many people in America, particularly those on the left side of the political spectrum, the notion of states’ rights is as repulsive as it is misunderstood. Of course, if they grasped the concept of federalism and [...]
Utah Legislators Call for Fiscal Federalism
Tea partiers take note: at the forefront of any effort to reduce the size of the federal government should be the devolvement of federal programs to the states. Achieving this may seem like mission impossible given the states’ addiction to federal money. However, there are signs that the idea of returning the relationship between the [...]
Co-opting the Constitution
My esteemed colleague at THE NEW AMERICAN, Thomas R. Eddlem, does an excellent job dismantling the latest effort by the mainstream, beltway Right to hijack the Tea Party Movement (TPM) and link the Constitution with war and torture. Don’t fall for the latest lies from these establishment neoconservatives, people! Here’s an excerpt of Eddlem’s article: [...]
It’s our Money in the First Place!
Andy Harris on the 10th Amendment as it applies to a number of modern concerns – education, bailouts, health care and more.
Protecting Rights: D.C. is the Worst Choice for the Job
Yesterday, in response to the Kansas Senate passing SCR1615 (Sovereignty Resolution) a Kansas reporter asked me the following question: the kansas senate has adopted a resolution affirming the state’s 10th amendment rights. the amendment supports the repeal of all federal laws that compel the state to do something. some legislators here say that means the [...]
What the heck is Federalism?
Americans have discovered or invented many significant things, but by far, the most significant is federalism. It is uniquely American and it has led to the most free and prosperous society in the history of civilization. The single most important principle of government that sets America apart from the rest of the world, is federalism. [...]
Nullification, Secession, and the Human Scale of Political Order
For three days last week, on the third floor of the Francis Marion Hotel in downtown Charleston, SC, a group of scholars have been meeting to discuss the history of nullification and secession in American law and politics, and the continued relevance of those concepts today. I had the privilege of joining them for the [...]
Control of schools should be in local hands, not federal
Virginia Foxx, who represents the 5th Congressional District of North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives, is on the right track on education and the 10th Amendment: The federal government’s involvement in education illustrates what happens when Washington gets too big. First, let’s have a show of hands. How many teachers and parents love [...]
Alabama: We Dare Defend Our Rights
I am certainly pleased that the Alabama Legislature has passed a resolution affirming the sovereignty of our state under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Alabama now joins many other states which have passed such resolutions as a principled response to unprecedented threats to our liberties by the bloated and ever-expanding federal government. [...]
Judge Napolitano on the States and the Constitution
Judge Andrew Napolitano has released a five part series providing a well-done Constitutional overview. Part 5 in particular deals with the rights and role of the states. It is well worth watching and sharing with others. Editor’s Note: part 4, The Courts and the Constitution, is below
Reagan vs Clinton: 10th Amendment Showdown
Here’s a good article worth resurrecting, written by Tom DeWeese: During his six-year reign of terror, Bill Clinton has signed no less that 254 Executive Orders. To date, not one has been challenged by the United States Congress. Congressional silence has led Clinton to stronger, bolder action in his carefree drive to fulfill his liberal [...]
Stephan Kinsella on Nullification and Secession
Every weekday morning I stop by Mises.org (after first going to LewRockwell.com) to read, learn something new, and share info with others. Today, to my surprise, what I consider to be one of the best writers anywhere, Stephan Kinsella, has written a blog post discussing an article that I wrote earlier this year. “Randy Barnett [...]
Jonathan Bean on Lysander Spooner
Recently, I wrote about Lysander Spooner’s dubious argument that the unamended Constitution as originally ratified prohibited slavery in a book review I did for The New American. Jonathan Bean, Research Fellow at the Independent Institute and professor of history at Southern Illinois University, commented on my review of his book “Race & Liberty in America” [...]
American Government: Roots of Federalism
A pretty decent educational video (I believe for high school students or younger), far better than most government-school texts… (h/t Derek Sheriff)
A Look at the Heritage Guide to the U.S. Constitution
Here is my latest book review from THE NEW AMERICAN. The Federalist Society has compiled a “Conservative & Libertarian Legal Scholarship: Annotated Bibliography” to collect what they deem to be the best legal analysis of every aspect of American law. Their recommended reading for constitutional law contains the following advice: “The Heritage Foundation has published [...]
Virginia’s Ken Cuccinelli Will Be a Much-Needed Friend of the Tenth Amendment
After attending a meeting where he spoke in Richmond recently, I was very impressed by Virginia state senator, candidate for attorney general, and self-described “strict constructionist,” Ken Cuccinelli. Specifically, I was impressed by his willingness to invoke the Constitution early and often as his personal political compass. But don’t take my word for it. Check [...]
Reuters on Federalism
Federalism — the idea of a nation made up of smaller, semi-autonomous states — was deemed so important by the founders of the United States that they included it in the “Bill of Rights,” the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The tenth amendment says that “powers not delegated to the United States by [...]
Reject Chuck Schumer’s “Compromise”
In the health care saga’s latest twist, New York Senator, Chuck Schumer, has proposed a solution that would allow states to “opt out” of the public option, should there be one included with the final bill. Talking Points Memo reports: We’re chasing the ball on a new idea (is it a trial balloon? is it [...]
The Death of Federalism: Lincoln’s Real Legacy
Any discussion of reclaiming freedom in America is pointless without an accurate understanding of how our rights were lost in the first place. The Real Lincoln, Professor Thomas DiLorenzo’s controversial book on the subject, makes a compelling case that it was Abraham Lincoln himself who set us on our present course. From the book’s foreword [...]
