Dallas News Blog

Is this bad??? is this bad???

Nullification worked out real well for the South in the 1830's.

Man, I was at the state capitol all day on Tuesday and I didn't hear about this one! I must have been too busy talking to legislators and staff about REAL issues...

I'm not a lawyer, but it sounds more like they're trying to reclaim powers that have been usurped by the federal government:

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

If you have a problem with that claim, then you have a problem with the Constitution, because they're just saying that the state of Texas asserts its rights as stated in the Constitution. There's nothing in that resolution about secession, etc. You can argue about what powers are granted to the federal govt, e.g. is adding 800 billion dollars to the national debt in a single piece of legislation a legitimate example of "providing for the general welfare," but that's another discussion.

Just because states' rights claims were used to try to justify slavery does not mean that all claims of states' rights are crazy talk from racist rednecks.

I'd respect their intent more if they promised to refuse all federal funding tied to those items they feel the federal government has no right to "interfere" with - like for transportation or education. Isn't that how the federal government usually gets away with these things, by tying it in to accepting the funding?

23 States already are now claiming, or are planning for declaration of sovereignty including AZ, AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, GA, HI, ID, IN, KS, ME, MI, MO, MT, NH, NV, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, & WA.

So to the nonbelievers, do the research, information is the only thing that can protect us from this downward spiral. Too much government is bad government, this was the beliefs of our founding fathers. The Constitution was set up to allow states control of its people in the event that the federal government is taken over, need proof of this, look at the bailout passed by threat of martial law. Where did the money go? The goal of this administration is total control over its people, and the elimination of America's Middle Class.

Study the works of the President's mentor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, the Trilateral Commission, the Council of Foreign Relations, and the Bilderberg Group.

The truth is out there.

I'm all for states flexing more of their 10th amendment muscle. Since the majority of red states take in more federal money then they send, I can't wait to see how well their children turn out without federal help on education, how their health care turns out, and especially how they deal with transportation issues, which is an infrastructure that never makes money, only sucks money.

The amendment states but a truism that all is retained which has not been surrendered. There is nothing in the history of its adoption to suggest that it was more than declaratory of the relationship between the national and state governments as it had been established by the Constitution before the amendment or that its purpose was other than to allay fears that the new national government might seek to exercise powers not granted, and that the states might not be able to exercise fully their reserved powers.

I'm glad we still have at least a few legislators still interested in liberty. I hope this thing passes.

What some people here fail to realize is that the federal government regulates many areas not specifically granted in the constitution through the commerce clause and funding. Take education as an example. Most (if not all) federal regulations over education are tied to funding. If the state (or school district) does not agree to these regulations, they don't get federal funds.
It is similar to a parent giving money to a child. You can have this money, but you have to spend it on these things, not drink, not do drugs, not date that icky Jones child, etc...

I applaud this, too. A few more meaningless resolutions like this one will go a long way toward solving our current problems.

You guys better be thankful that there are still some politicians left who actually want us to be free from an oppressive federal government. They are the only thing that will keep you all from serving a communist master named Obama.

Socialism/Marxism/Fascism is not a new thing...it is very old. Historically it leads to tyranny. Freedom and Liberty (small government) is a new thing. It was a gift given to us from the founders, and we are losing it quickly unless people stand up.

Since the majority of red states take in more federal money then they send,

Can you source this? I'd like to see where you're getting this information.

I'd also like to point out that blue states are the most economically troubled right now (California, New Jersey, for example off the top of my head). And formerly red states that just turned blue ... I guess in a few years we'll see how that works out for them.

I live in NC and we receive all the refugees from New Jersey who screwed their own state economy up so badly they can't even stand to live there anymore. Now they've come here to screw up ours.

That Constitution is such an obsolete old document, we should just do away with it all together. The farther away we get from it the better off the whole world will be. Its all the stupid redneck racists that want to uphold the Constitution just because they think it will keep our Government in check (I bet they see black helicopters flying over their trailers too).They need to get out of the Stone Age and let the Federal Government do its job! I don’t know about the rest of you but at least I can sleep better knowing that my Federal Government is hard at work spending my money and doing what’s best for me. How do I know they are acting in my best interest without the Constitution in place? What Politician wouldn’t? besides, checks & balances are so over rated.

JHM:

Furthermore, in California a large number of GOP counties take in quite a bit of state money as well:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/05/MNGS15O7NI.DTL

For those of us who are more concerned with LIBERTY than security or whatever someone referred to as "Real Issues" above, please call your legislator and support this resolution declaring the state's and the people's 10th amendment right under the constitution.

If you're serious about keeping the federal government to it's constitutionally limited powers or actually think of yourself as a real conservative (i.e. less government), then check out the Campaign For Liberty (.com).

And please do not be so ignorant as to suggest that this document is an any way related to the Republic of Texas' sovereign right to secede.

@ Doomed To Repeat It --- Really the 1830s? Are you serious? Texas was not even a member of the United States yet. We didn't win our independence as a country until 1836 or make the mistake of joining the union until 1845. Another win for federally funded education systems!

@ Nate

That makes me feel better, but you never know with all the brain-washed sheep out there.

Ghost:
Just to clarify my Sarcastic post

When the role of the Government (especially the Supreme Court) turns to disassembling the Constitution as opposed to its protection, we are all in BIG TROUBLE! It starts with our money and ends with our freedom. What they take they will never give back and that about the only thing you will be taking to the bank!

Seriously, the 10th amendment does not limit the federal governments powers? Are you referring to the 10th amendment of the US Constitution which reads:

"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."

That pretty much says, as I was taught in Government class, that the US Government was limited only to powers expressly granted in the Constitution.

Could you please explain what part of this I am missing?

I'll agree the resolution won't immediately change anything, but that doesn't mean it is meaningless. We're gonna a lot of wake up calls to start steering this ship in the right direction. And with enough people we can turn it around.

@Anonymous
" I would suggest we're better served by holding our federal elected officials more accountable for their bs than trotting out this tired issue."

And how has that been working out for you???

some of you people disgust me.

The Republic of Texas can take care of ourselves.. we don't need to sink with the Federal Government.

Article 1, Section 2 of The Constitution of The Republic of Texas

"All political power is inherent in the people, and all
free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for
their benefit. The faith of the people of Texas stands pledged to
the preservation of a republican form of government, and, subject
to this limitation only, they have at all times the inalienable
right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as
they may think expedient."

thank you Reps Berman and Creighton..

I see the Observer is doing its job to keep the sponge minions in their little left-right boxes, where "left" is defined as "whatever my whiny replacement religion morality tells me to feel, constitution be damned" and "right" means some aged stereotype vaguely against all the do-gooder government programs.

Maybe the fact that the US Supreme Court has said it is illegal under the Tenth Amendment for the feds to commandeer the legislative, executive, or judicial functions of state government by mandating courses of action by executive or judicial officers, or by limiting a legislature's permissible alternatives...maybe that should clue you in. New York v US (1992); Printz v US (1997)....Freakin' look it up before you start looking down your nose at people and pushing the same old stereotypes.

There is less support for the idea that the feds can't condition appropriations under the spending clause. But I don't see that idea in their resolution, so just STFU!

And it is just a resolution, reaffirming what the Supreme Court has already said. So maybe the better question is, what's your problem with it? I suppose that level of analysis is beneath you since you are so elite with your borderline non-profit job at the Observer. Would you even get out of bed if you couldn't spend your day trying to herd people into false left-right associations where you massage their ego with platitudes about their superiority to those who would put their trust in details such as settled law from the Supreme Court and the Constitution? How weak minded.

Those who gargle on about "Liberty!" are almost always those who want to take yours away. Beware!

I don't understand why there is such debate about this.

I love freedom (and I mean LOVE), even though it's hard work.

I love my kids(I mean LOVE you have no idea), even though it's hard work.

I like the money I work for(love of money is evil) to take care of both of my kids, my freedom, and oh yea my federal gov't.

Hope I didn't offend anyone, but I would LOVE some representation and not LEADERSHIP.