An Open Challenge To The States

I'm stunned.

Washington DC and many of the so-called "drive by" media are trying to play off the "Tea Parties" as some sort of right-wing partisan thing.

They're wrong. 

I was one of the first to call for mailing Tea Bags to legislators.  Here's the proof:

Therefore, on February 1st, which is more than enough time for Barack Obama to be seated in his chair in the West Wing, I am recommending an act of peaceful, lawful and yet unmistakable protest.

That is, to mail President Obama one teabag.  Nothing dangerous, nothing illegal - just one teabag.

Send one to your Congressman and one to each Senator.

Posted on January 20th.

And by the way, I stole it from Tickerforum, where it was suggested.

To those who wish to call me some sort of "right-wing hack" I will simply reply that you have not been reading The Ticker.  I have been an equal-opportunity rabid dog with my mighty Internet Pen, calling on the carpet both Democrats and Republicans in their mishandling and outright complicity in this economic mess.

Washington is known for not listening to The States or The People.  Proof?  300:1 dissent from The People on TARP's passage - they passed it anyway.  That 300:1 dissent partially was the reason for President Obama's victory.  He didn't give a damn, and not only has continued the bailouts he has refused to prosecute the thieves.

Several states have passed "non-binding" resolutions asserting their 10th Amendment rights.  A "non-binding" resolution is just a feel-good thing to placate the populace.

But one state - Montana - has gone further.

Montana has asserted both Second and Tenth Amendment rights, and the state did so not with a "non-binding resolution" but with an actual law that has the force of law and enforcement by the State's right to use force, including, presumptively, The State National Guard!

What was that law?

Read the summary:

AN ACT EXEMPTING FROM FEDERAL REGULATION UNDER THE COMMERCE CLAUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES A FIREARM, A FIREARM ACCESSORY, OR AMMUNITION MANUFACTURED AND RETAINED IN MONTANA; AND PROVIDING AN APPLICABILITY DATE.

How long will it take before every firearms and ammunition manufacturer locates in Montana?  15, maybe 20 minutes?

Washington DC is not the Seat of Power in our nation.  If you think it is, go read The Declaration of Independence again - you know, that pesky document that a handful of men were willing to die in order to write and disseminate a couple hundred years ago, and without which America would not exist?

The Federal Government has specific enumerated powers, among them the duty to provide for the common defense of the several states.  But Social Security, Medicare, Education and intrastate commerce in all its forms are not within its purview.  Neither is the right or ability to abrogate The Constitution except through the lawful process of amendment as directly provided therein.

There are many, including some who I used to consider "friends", that have asserted that there is absolutely no chance that The States or The People would take back their rights from The Federal Government absent a violent revolution, and some of them, sadly, seem to want to see that day come.

I disagree, have in fact severed contact with former friends over this disagreement, and submit as my evidence The State of Montana.

A peaceful declaration of both Second and Tenth Amendment Rights occurred yesterday.  Not one shot was fired, not one person was murdered. 

Instead, the soapbox and ballot box prevailed, exactly as it should.

I call upon the several states - all of them - to similarly assert their 10th and 2nd Amendment rights.  To follow in Montana's footsteps.  To withdraw their consent to unlawful interference in intrastate affairs as a means of forcing Washington DC to come to its senses and prosecute the outrageous fraud and theft that has been committed against The States and The People by a small group of monied interests that have literally stolen several trillion dollars from those States and The People.

If you live in a State that has passed or introduced a "10th Amendment Resolution" (including Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Illinois, West Virginia, Ohio, Nevada, Oregon, Alabama, Mississippi, Idaho, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Kentucky, Alaska, Indiana, Tennessee, Arkansas, Minnesota, South Carolina, Georgia, Kansas, New Hampshire, Missouri, Iowa, Arizona, Washington or Okalhoma) get on the phone to your state reps and senators and demand that this "resolution" (whether it succeeded or failed) be upgraded to a BILL and passed as a LAW.

If you live in state that has not introduced same, start pestering your representative and senator to introduce one - again, as a bill and then LAW, not as a toothless "resolution."

We live in a Constitutional Republic folks.  Federal Government power is not unlimited - it is, in fact, limited specifically to the enumerated powers set forth in The Constitution, with the remainder reserved to The States and The People.

Congress has routinely ignored this fact with the EESA/TARP being the most outrageous example of The Will of The People being ignored in a generation's time.

It is time to take our nation back through lawful and Constitutionally-protected political process.

It begins with you.