This week, Tennesse Governor Phil Bredesen signed House Joint Resolution 108 (HJR0108), authored by State Rep. Susan Lynn. The resolution “Urges Congress to recognize Tennessee’s sovereignty under the tenth amendment to the Constitution.”
The House passed the resolution on 05/26 by a vote of 85-2 and the Senate passed it on 06/12 by a vote of 31-0.
Six other states have had both houses of their legislature pass similar resolutions - Alaska, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma and Louisiana - but Tennessee is the first to have such a resolution signed by the Governor.
A GROWING MOVEMENT
Passage of this resolution appears to be part of what is now a growing state-level resistance to the federal government on various levels. Similar 10th Amendment resolutions have been introduced in 36 states around the country, and various states are considering single-issue legislation in direct contravention to federal laws.
Most recently, the Arizona Legislature passed a measure for public approval on the 2010 state ballot that would give Arizona voters the opportunity to nullify, or opt out, of any potential national health care legislation.
Since 2007, more than two dozen states have passed legislation refusing to implement the Real ID act of 2005. In response, the federal government has recently announced that they want to “repeal and replace” the law due to a rebellion by states.
Pending legislation in states around the country also includes preventing state law enforcement officials from enforcing federal laws, refusing federal gun regulations, refusing to send a state’s national guard to any duty other than what the constitution authorizes, legalizing marijuana for various purposes and more.
A FIRST STEP
While HJR0108 is strongly-word in support of the principles of limited, constitutional government that the 10th Amendment represents, it is a Joint Resolution and does not carry with it the force of law. But supporters say that this is an important first step to get their message out not only to grassroots supporters, but to the media, and legislators in other states as well.
In additional to calling on the federal government to abide by the constitution, it also states that “a committee of conference and correspondence be appointed by the Speaker of the House and of the Senate, which shall have as its charge to communicate the preceding resolution to the legislatures of the several states, to assure them that this State continues in the same esteem of their friendship and to call for a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.”
Read the final version of the resolution below:
WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”; and
WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that specifically granted by the Constitution of the United States and no more; and
WHEREAS, the scope of power defined by the Tenth Amendment means that the federal government was created by the states specifically to be an agent of the states; and
WHEREAS, today, in 2009, the states are demonstrably treated as agents of the federal government; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has ruled in New York v. United States, 112 S. Ct. 2408 (1992), that Congress may not simply commandeer the legislative and regulatory processes of the states; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE
CONCURRING, that we hereby affirm Tennessee’s sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a committee of conference and correspondence be appointed by the Speaker of the House and of the Senate, which shall have as its charge to communicate the preceding resolution to the legislatures of the several states, to assure them that this State continues in the same esteem of their friendship and to call for a joint working group between the states to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of Tennessee’s Congressional delegation.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Binyamin Netanyahu's Speech
by Daniel Pipes
In a major speech today at the Begin-Sadat Center of Bar-Ilan University, Binyamin Netanyahu laid out his vision to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. In brief, it's a fine speech, making many needed points, but it fails on the critical point of prematurely accepting a Palestinian state.
Here are some of the high points, important statements eloquently articulated:
· "The greatest danger confronting Israel, the Middle East, the entire world and human race, is the nexus between radical Islam and nuclear weapons."
· "the root of the conflict was, and remains, the refusal to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own, in their historic homeland."
· "The closer we get to an agreement with [the Palestinians], the further they retreat and raise demands that are inconsistent with a true desire to end the conflict.
· "The claim that territorial withdrawals will bring peace with the Palestinians, or at least advance peace, has up till now not stood the test of reality."
· "Palestinian moderates are not yet ready to say the simple words: Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, and it will stay that way."
· "a fundamental prerequisite for ending the conflict is a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people."
· "there must also be a clear understanding that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside Israel's borders."
· The principles that guide his government's policy: "Palestinians must clearly and unambiguously recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people" and "The territory under Palestinian control must be demilitarized with ironclad security provisions for Israel."
The problematic section concerns the acceptance of the two-state solution. (By the way, I predicted Netanyahu that would accept this goal at his meeting with Obama on May 18; turns out, I was off by four weeks.) In the key passage of today's speech, Netanyahu stated:
If we receive [a] guarantee regarding demilitarization and Israel's security needs, and if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the State of the Jewish people, then we will be ready in a future peace agreement to reach a solution where a demilitarized Palestinian state exists alongside the Jewish state.
While I personally have given up on the two-state solution, I also do accept that it could work in theory. But Netanyahu does not lay down enough conditions for that theoretical moment. All he requires is a formalistic guarantee and recognition, which the years of Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy should have established as inadequate. In addition, the Israeli government should also require, at the least:
1. A complete overhaul of messages coming from textbooks, classrooms, media, sermons, political rhetoric, and the other areas of public Palestinian discourse, eliminating the anti-Semitism, the anti-Zionism, and the incitement while condemning terrorism and other acts of "resistance" (muqawama).
2. A protracted era in which Palestinians do not engage in violence against Israelis.
3. Normal relations in such areas as trade, tourism, sports, and scholarly exchanges.
4. A good-neighborly foreign policy.
To make matters worse, Netanyahu accepted the discredited 1990s premise of a "new Middle East" when he stated that "a strong Palestinian economy will strengthen peace." Have not the last fifteen years established that Palestinian wealth fuels the war machine?
Comment: In his first term as prime minister in 1996-99, Netanyahu established a record of weakness and I worried two months ago, as he was forming the present government, that "Neither his party's history, nor his own biography, nor his character, nor murmurs coming out of Israel suggest that he will keep his electoral promises."
His speaking today of a "Palestinian state" constitutes the first major breach of those promises. Let us hope it is the last. (June 14, 2009)
http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2009/06/assessing-binyamin-netanyahus-speech-at-bar-ilan-university.html
In a major speech today at the Begin-Sadat Center of Bar-Ilan University, Binyamin Netanyahu laid out his vision to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. In brief, it's a fine speech, making many needed points, but it fails on the critical point of prematurely accepting a Palestinian state.
Here are some of the high points, important statements eloquently articulated:
· "The greatest danger confronting Israel, the Middle East, the entire world and human race, is the nexus between radical Islam and nuclear weapons."
· "the root of the conflict was, and remains, the refusal to recognize the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own, in their historic homeland."
· "The closer we get to an agreement with [the Palestinians], the further they retreat and raise demands that are inconsistent with a true desire to end the conflict.
· "The claim that territorial withdrawals will bring peace with the Palestinians, or at least advance peace, has up till now not stood the test of reality."
· "Palestinian moderates are not yet ready to say the simple words: Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, and it will stay that way."
· "a fundamental prerequisite for ending the conflict is a public, binding and unequivocal Palestinian recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people."
· "there must also be a clear understanding that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside Israel's borders."
· The principles that guide his government's policy: "Palestinians must clearly and unambiguously recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people" and "The territory under Palestinian control must be demilitarized with ironclad security provisions for Israel."
The problematic section concerns the acceptance of the two-state solution. (By the way, I predicted Netanyahu that would accept this goal at his meeting with Obama on May 18; turns out, I was off by four weeks.) In the key passage of today's speech, Netanyahu stated:
If we receive [a] guarantee regarding demilitarization and Israel's security needs, and if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the State of the Jewish people, then we will be ready in a future peace agreement to reach a solution where a demilitarized Palestinian state exists alongside the Jewish state.
While I personally have given up on the two-state solution, I also do accept that it could work in theory. But Netanyahu does not lay down enough conditions for that theoretical moment. All he requires is a formalistic guarantee and recognition, which the years of Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy should have established as inadequate. In addition, the Israeli government should also require, at the least:
1. A complete overhaul of messages coming from textbooks, classrooms, media, sermons, political rhetoric, and the other areas of public Palestinian discourse, eliminating the anti-Semitism, the anti-Zionism, and the incitement while condemning terrorism and other acts of "resistance" (muqawama).
2. A protracted era in which Palestinians do not engage in violence against Israelis.
3. Normal relations in such areas as trade, tourism, sports, and scholarly exchanges.
4. A good-neighborly foreign policy.
To make matters worse, Netanyahu accepted the discredited 1990s premise of a "new Middle East" when he stated that "a strong Palestinian economy will strengthen peace." Have not the last fifteen years established that Palestinian wealth fuels the war machine?
Comment: In his first term as prime minister in 1996-99, Netanyahu established a record of weakness and I worried two months ago, as he was forming the present government, that "Neither his party's history, nor his own biography, nor his character, nor murmurs coming out of Israel suggest that he will keep his electoral promises."
His speaking today of a "Palestinian state" constitutes the first major breach of those promises. Let us hope it is the last. (June 14, 2009)
http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2009/06/assessing-binyamin-netanyahus-speech-at-bar-ilan-university.html
Thursday, June 4, 2009
USEFUL FOOLS IN CHARGE OF OBA-HUSSEIN'S AMERICA
Look Who's in Charge of Our Economic Future
Elizabeth Coleman, Inspector General of the Federal Reserve, explains where all our money is going:
If Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, who knows what may come of that?
(Alan Note: Some say it is time for a revolution again. Authorities worry about street violence as conditions deteriorate and unemployment, lack of welfare checks and food stamps, drives people to desperation and violent protest at the "change" Oba-Hussein-Khomeini has inflicted on us).
Texas is a very unique place, and a pretty independent lot to boot.
"Rep. Ron Paul defended Rick Perry on this, and had some great comments. “
Perry really stirred some of the liberal media, where they started screaming about: 'what is going on here, this is un-American'. I heard one individual say 'this is treasonous to even talk about it.'
Well, they don't know their history very well, because when you think about it... it is very American to talk about secession. That's how we came in being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country. So secession is a very much American principle.
What about all the strong endorsements we have give the past decade or two to all the republics that seceded from the soviet system? We were delighted about it.”A list of justifications may be presented supporting the right to secede, including:
• The right to liberty, free association and private property
• Consent as important democratic principle; will of majority to secede should be recognized
• Making it easier for states to join with others in an experimental union
• Dissolving such union when goals for which it was constituted are not achieved
• Self-defense when larger group presents lethal threat to minority or the government cannot adequately defend an area
• Self-determination of peoples
• Preserving culture, language, etc. from assimilation or destruction by a larger or more powerful group
• Furthering diversity by allowing diverse cultures to keep their identity
• Rectifying past injustices, especially past conquest by a larger power
• Escaping “discriminatory redistribution,” i.e., tax schemes, regulatory policies, economic programs, etc. that distribute resources away to another area, especially in an undemocratic fashion
• Enhanced efficiency when the state or empire becomes too large to administer efficiently
• Preserving “liberal purity” (or “conservative purity”) by allowing less (or more) liberal regions to secede
• Providing superior constitutional systems which allow flexibility of secession
• Keeping political entities small and human scale through right to secession On February 17, 2009, Texas House Concurrent Resolution 50 was introduced. The resolution reads in part:
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby claim sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States;
and, be it further RESOLVED,
That this serve as notice and demand to the federal government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers;
and, be it further RESOLVED,
That all compulsory federal legislation that directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed.
I hope we are wrong about the U.S. being over, Mandy… there may still time to correct her course … and, although I am not advocating secession of Texas at this time, as a last resort ... if you prove to be right, we may all be one day need to say… God Bless the United States and Long Live the Republic of Texas.
Excerpt of Comment byZMarshal on Moonbattery
Alan Note: the bottomless financial and economic pit Oba-Hussein has dug for us cannot be resolved nor filled, nor is there a place to "bottom out" and rise up again. Any slowdown of the fall is like falling off a cliff and hitting some branches on the way down. Reminders of the ultimate pain and destruction waiting for you.
The video above shows how the actual deficit amount runs into some ten and more TRILLIONS not the 1.3 trillion vaguely discussed by Obabami's useful fools and already a backbreaker and worthy of huge fear and misgiving. The truth is so horrible it is unimaginable.
Once Americans wake up and understand the mess they have been thrown into - under the Obama narcissistic bus.
Elizabeth Coleman, Inspector General of the Federal Reserve, explains where all our money is going:
If Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, who knows what may come of that?
(Alan Note: Some say it is time for a revolution again. Authorities worry about street violence as conditions deteriorate and unemployment, lack of welfare checks and food stamps, drives people to desperation and violent protest at the "change" Oba-Hussein-Khomeini has inflicted on us).
Texas is a very unique place, and a pretty independent lot to boot.
"Rep. Ron Paul defended Rick Perry on this, and had some great comments. “
Perry really stirred some of the liberal media, where they started screaming about: 'what is going on here, this is un-American'. I heard one individual say 'this is treasonous to even talk about it.'
Well, they don't know their history very well, because when you think about it... it is very American to talk about secession. That's how we came in being. Thirteen colonies seceded from the British and established a new country. So secession is a very much American principle.
What about all the strong endorsements we have give the past decade or two to all the republics that seceded from the soviet system? We were delighted about it.”A list of justifications may be presented supporting the right to secede, including:
• The right to liberty, free association and private property
• Consent as important democratic principle; will of majority to secede should be recognized
• Making it easier for states to join with others in an experimental union
• Dissolving such union when goals for which it was constituted are not achieved
• Self-defense when larger group presents lethal threat to minority or the government cannot adequately defend an area
• Self-determination of peoples
• Preserving culture, language, etc. from assimilation or destruction by a larger or more powerful group
• Furthering diversity by allowing diverse cultures to keep their identity
• Rectifying past injustices, especially past conquest by a larger power
• Escaping “discriminatory redistribution,” i.e., tax schemes, regulatory policies, economic programs, etc. that distribute resources away to another area, especially in an undemocratic fashion
• Enhanced efficiency when the state or empire becomes too large to administer efficiently
• Preserving “liberal purity” (or “conservative purity”) by allowing less (or more) liberal regions to secede
• Providing superior constitutional systems which allow flexibility of secession
• Keeping political entities small and human scale through right to secession On February 17, 2009, Texas House Concurrent Resolution 50 was introduced. The resolution reads in part:
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas hereby claim sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States;
and, be it further RESOLVED,
That this serve as notice and demand to the federal government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers;
and, be it further RESOLVED,
That all compulsory federal legislation that directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed.
I hope we are wrong about the U.S. being over, Mandy… there may still time to correct her course … and, although I am not advocating secession of Texas at this time, as a last resort ... if you prove to be right, we may all be one day need to say… God Bless the United States and Long Live the Republic of Texas.
Excerpt of Comment byZMarshal on Moonbattery
Alan Note: the bottomless financial and economic pit Oba-Hussein has dug for us cannot be resolved nor filled, nor is there a place to "bottom out" and rise up again. Any slowdown of the fall is like falling off a cliff and hitting some branches on the way down. Reminders of the ultimate pain and destruction waiting for you.
The video above shows how the actual deficit amount runs into some ten and more TRILLIONS not the 1.3 trillion vaguely discussed by Obabami's useful fools and already a backbreaker and worthy of huge fear and misgiving. The truth is so horrible it is unimaginable.
Once Americans wake up and understand the mess they have been thrown into - under the Obama narcissistic bus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
