Under The Radar: 10th Amendment Movement Picks Up Steam [Reader Post]

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Millions of Americans watch with horror as the Obama administration continues to implement its own version of ‘change.’ Change that involves an unprecedented and systematic devolution of power to the federal government, in direct contravention of the Constitution.

From the pending takeover of 17% of  economy under the auspices of health care reform, to the government takeover and subsequent ownership of automobile companies, to the unconstitutional interference in the formerly private market under the rubric of stimulating the economy. Not to mention the proposed cap and trade legislation which would give the federal government unlimited powers of taxation and regulation under the guise of saving the planet.

Totally ignored by elected officials of both parties is the tenth amendment of the Constitution, which states very clearly, “The power 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.”

Many Americans don’t agree with the left’s idea of a ‘living constitution’, arguing that the intent of the founders should govern the interpretation and application of the Constitution, not the whimsical and politically motivated present day politicians. And, largely unreported by the media, they are starting to stand up to the federal government.

To date, 37 states have introduced sovereignty resolutions, asserting their state’s sovereign rights under the tenth amendment.

Earlier this month, Louisiana became the seventh state, joining Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Idaho and Tennessee to officially adopt a resolution affirming their sovereignty. These states are putting the federal government on notice that politicians in Washington do not have the right, under the Constitution, to continue to impose their increasingly onerous federal mandates on sovereign states.

Some states, with Arizona leading the way, are going a step further.

Under Arizona’s Health Care Freedom Act, which was passed by the Arizona state legislature this month, a voting initiative will be placed on the 2010 ballot that, if passed, will allow Arizona to opt out of any federal health care plan.

Following Arizona’s lead, five other states — Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota and Wyoming — are considering similar initiatives to opt out of federal health care for their 2010 ballots This, even before Congress has created the program.

Arizona is also preparing for the misnamed ‘climate’ bill, that passed the House this month. (With eight Republican votes.) The Arizona state Senate voted 19-10 to approve a bill banning the Department of Environmental Quality from enacting or enforcing measures with language pertaining to climate change.

to climate change.
Other states are stepping up to the plate and asserting their state’s sovereign right under the second amendment – a right that guarantees the right of the people to keep and bear arms.

On July 6, Florida introduced the Firearms Freedom Act which seeks to provide “that specified firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition for personal use manufactured in state are not subject to federal law or regulation” in the State of Florida.

Increasingly, the representatives ‘we the people’ have elected to preserve and protect our rights, are ignoring the clear, unequivocal language of the Constitution. Our politicians seem unaware of the fact that the Constitution does not include  congressional power to override state laws.

In fact, the power our representatives are now accruing to the federal government was expressly voted down, not once, but several times.

During the Constitutional ratification process, James Madison drafted the ‘Virginia Plan’ which advocated a strong federal government. It proposed, among other things, giving Congress legislative authority, and a veto over state laws. Each of Madison’s proposals was soundly defeated. Our founders clear intent was vesting all powers in the states, with but a few, listed exceptions.

Ever since 1938, when FDR used the occasion of the great depression to drastically expand the scope of federal government (Wickard vs Filburn) using an absurd reading of the Commerce Clause, this unconstitutional taking of power by the central government has gone virtually unchallenged. Until now.

Though the media has ignored these efforts, ‘we the people’ are starting to fight back, via our state and local representatives.

Politicians need to be reminded that our Constitution is still in effect. And Americans need to be reminded that just because some believe the trendy notion that our Constitution is a ‘living, breathing’ document, doesn’t make it so.

Crossposted from Right Bias

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@Aqua:

What nerve! Wishing 10% unemployment on people. How COULD you?! //SARC=OFF//
____________________________________________________________________
And they criticize us for wanting to destroy America and get Americans killed?
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-07-21-voa53.cfm

Nope, … “we can gut the military, becuase the World has become such a safe place now that we don’t need a deterant any more.” Damned Fools!

yonason: I don’t know what more I can say about things, I asked you plenty of questions too, but you failed to respond, and I can understand that. It is difficult to reply to every foolish, diversionary or as you would say “Dead Bait” question that is asked. And since you didn’t respond to any of the questions I asked, I will take no reply as your response and move on, and I haven’t asked any more questions of you.

For some reason you think I have an issue to fight with you about abortion, but you are wrong. I have stated here on this forum in the past, and I will say it again, I am not pro abortion. I am against abortion of innocent lives.

As for Rev Wright, all you are trying to do is to create some division where none has been brought up by me in this thread. We may agree on that or not, but it doesn’t have a thing to do with JustAl and his buddy who wants Osama to attack America. If you want to email me off group and discuss some issues, I’ll be happy to do that. Email Mike here at FA and he has my email, and I give my permission for Mike to provide it to you yonason if you want top talk about abortion, Rev Wright, or whatever topics you like.

Aqua said: “I guess your out for that is to say Bush didn’t really win the first election he stole it. Because the left lost their minds. Some actually accused Bush of helping plan the attacks of 9/11.
Right now Obama is shoving unadulterated socialism. But many governors pulled the 10th amendment out and dusted it off for Bush as well. Some of his unfunded mandates were shoved down the states throats and they let him know they weren’t swallowing.
Conservatives don’t like the feds in our lives, no matter what letter is behind their name.”

As for Bush in 2000, the Supreme court ruled, the election went into the books, and I don’t see that as an out in any way. The left lost their minds for sure, but they would have been better served getting their house in order and dealing with reality than crying and crying foul for as long as they did. Maybe had they tended to the reality rather than crying foul and whining for so long, they would have gotten their act together 4 years sooner. Maybe the Republican Party should do that now too. A legitimate discussion about issues is one matter, to rehash conspiracy theories, although entertaining sometimes, is to try to prove the unprovable.

As for the 10th amendment, thank you, that is what I wanted to know, if this is just an Obama reaction, or if this is a principled response that is being held because of the direction of the country for many years. To me, the Federal Government has found many creative ways around the 10th amendment, and the States willingly comply with it on their own accord. A good example is the speed limit laws, when the Federal govt wanted it at 55mph, they tied in the funding for highway construction to compliance with the speed limit laws. The states had every recourse to say, we don’t want your money and we will keep the speed limit where we decide it should be. But the States have played along with the Fed for the most part thru thick and thin. I think when push comes to shove they always will too. And I don’t disagree that the States should be able to take back the rights that the Constitution granted, I think they can if they want to forgo much of the Federal Money that comes with strings attached. If some States decide to do that, you won’t hear me griping about it either.

Mata: Comendable defense of the indefensable. If you need to make excuses for those comments, it is your right to do it. If you need to jump in and defend those who were doing a poor job of defending themselves or refuse to come back and defend their comments that is your right as well.

The comments expressed by JustAl were on this forum and do not represent every lunatic nutbag on the planet, nor did my response. You can toss out all the Alinsky, Rev Wright Socialist phrases you like, it doesn’t take away the fact that the comments in question belong to folks who would be better served going somewhere that wants America attacked as much as they themselves opined would serve as an endgame with some greater purpose achieved amidst the carnage.

You choose to defend the comments and provide context and excuses for them, or throw them back at me like somehow I am in some agreement with some purported liberal buddy. Smoke screen.
You choose to defend the comments
I do not

yonason: I don’t know what more I can say about things

Of course you don’t, because that’s what happens when you run out of lies.

Simply give me the links that show where you and your Lefty pals have condemned Obama’s close friends who have actually called for America’s destruction. Then, and ONLY then, will I even begin to think you might possibly be sincere in your condemnation of that Scheuer remark.

Instead, you keep flapping your lips and trying to be even more distracting, so people won’t notice that you have no real answers, only smoke and fun-house mirrors.

Point of Order please.

@mooseburger:

We may agree on that or not, but it doesn’t have a thing to do with JustAl and his buddy who wants Osama to attack America.

Pardon my intrusion into your poo slinging episode, but please point out to me how JustAl is connected with Scheurer anywhere other than in your own mind.

I’ve just reread all of JustAl’s comments since he first appeared here. Guess what? No Scheurer. Nothing even close to that.

You set up the false premise and then attack based on that false premise. That’s a classic straw man Moose.

Clumsily executed, classic nonetheless.

You should be ashamed.

mooseburger, be as smart as Your Dad. We can agree or disagree of some things.

I am not the neighborhood bully here but refuse to allow horse droppings coated with so Flavor coated with sugar to be dispensed and be eaten here as nuggets of wisdom. It changes neither the taste, origin of creation or the nature of the physical properties of the substance.

I do not know how you make a living but after my retirement four years ago, I went back to the life I love, Cattle Ranching and do not care to see it be taxed to hell because a Kenyan Affirmative Action Product was a new Flavor for the Month of November 08. Like at Baskin Robbins and fools could not wait to taste it.

I was not fooled and will not sacrifice Freedom for that trip to hell that the Kenyan Communist raised Pretender offers. Not Buying it Bud!

I have a grill to get ready for some home butchered beef, not this Magic Kenyan Feast Variety.

http://www.allenbrothers.com/wagyu-sirloin-strip-steaks.html
nd
Mine is home fed and not fit for Socialist Celebrations eaten by the strap hangers and patched pants aristocrats of the Socialist Party Criminals.

I have shot moose, deer, elk and quail, and pheasant here. For the table.

Democrats have a different record…http://www.zpub.com/un/un-bc-body.html

Not rolling over or playing dead here.

yonason said: “Of course you don’t, because that’s what happens when you run out of lies.”

You seem to very well know what happens when you run out of lies, that is why Mata had to jump in and bail you out. Now that you have had a good breather while she covered for you and corrected you, you have had some time to think up some more.

I have committed no lies here
Your non belief in my sincerity does not change anything on my end
It doesn’t matter if you think I believe the comments by JustAl and Scheuer are bad or not.
Doesn’t matter to me if the comments were made by liberals or conservatives
If you feel like you need to defend those comments, have at it. It’s your right to do it.
I just disagree with you

@mooseburger:

“Doesn’t matter to me if the comments were made by liberals or conservatives.”

LOL, good one, …which is why you will have no trouble showing me how outraged you and C&L have been with Wright, Holdren, Ayers, …and sooooo many more.

Aye Chihuahua
54Reply to this comment

Point of Order please.

@mooseburger:

We may agree on that or not, but it doesn’t have a thing to do with JustAl and his buddy who wants Osama to attack America.

Pardon my intrusion into your poo slinging episode, but please point out to me how JustAl is connected with Scheurer.

I’ve read all of JustAl’s comments since he first appeared here. Guess what? No Scheurer. Nothing even close to that.

You set up the false premise and then attack based on that false premise. That’s a classic straw man Moose.

Clumsily executed, classic nonetheless.

You should be ashamed.

Aye, point taken. However, there seems to be a double standard when the most radical elements of a Liberal and anti American position are attached to things that I have posted time and again, and no one calls for a point of order. If I post something, invariably I hear back from many any number of leftist, socialist associations being attached to me. And now I have been called a liar. Yeah, I am going to defend myself, and perhaps it is getting out of hand.

I stated: “JustAl made his comment, and my comment was in response to his, and his comment in my view falls in line with Scheurer’s comment which I linked to. The folks who are worried more about Scheurer’s affiliations than his statement and also not touching with a ten foot pole the comments JustAl made are some of Y’all. I haven’t introduced anyone’s political viewpoint into the mix and feel the repulsive comments stand alone and speak for themselves.”

I did say:” I just wanted to point out to you that you, Michael Scheuer, and the “Islamofascists” are all on the same side when it comes to hoping that America suffers a “complete collapse of civilization” so you can get rid of the “Flawed way of thinking”

Why don’t you go and enlist with your buddies, the Taliban, and take your correct thinking twin Michael Scheuer with you?”

That is exactly how I feel about JustAl’s comment, and that is my view.

The key phrase is “in my view” and that is the position I took, and that is the position I still have. You are welcome to disagree with that. You Aye, know most folks here much better than I do, but I personally don’t see how folks can make excuses or provide favorable context for either comment, but that’s my take.

Apologies for any mudslinging, and to you yonason for returning fire on your charge of lying
No apologies for my condemnation of the comments regarding “flawed thinkers” or Osama attacking again.

@mooseburger:

If I post something, invariably I hear back from many any number of leftist, socialist associations being attached to me.

Dude, you give Lefty refs as sources, so what is one to think? Come on! If you don’t want to be associated with them, STOP USING THEIR LIES AS “PROOF” OF ANYTHING!

And now I have been called a liar.

What I said is you’ve “run out of lies”. Now, you yourself may not be lying, but your sources ARE! And, if those sources are all you’ve got, then your arguments are based on lies, whether or not you realize it. I don’t have to appologize for calling them liars, because they are, and even though your association with them doesn’t automatically make you a liar, if you aren’t worried about what associating with them will do to your reputation, that’s your problem, not ours.

(Oh, and Mata was helping you more than me, as she was giving the background on Scheuer that you didn’t bother to, but which suggested you may have been correct about him, even though your poor presentation didn’t make that clear – which also suggests she was right that you were deliberately setting a trap).

Still waiting for those refs where you clearly and unequivocally bash the Lefty idiots whose words (and sometimes actions) are FAR worse than what you are trying to bash us with, btw.

moose, INRE some of your comments:

1: “dead bait” is my phrase. do not hang that on Yon

2: Yon *has* patiently, repeatedly and (IMHO) foolishly taken your “bait” and responded to your inability to read the English language. I “defend” no one, as you lay out as part of your BS (ala “defending the indefensible). I merely point out your obvious game.

You have a choice to define who you are. You admit you play the Alinsky game, which makes you part of the plan. Or you are so unbelievably stupid that you need an interpreter for the English language. Take whatever choice suits your mood or situation. I have patience for both.. to an extent. And just to let you know, on this thread, you’ve reached that threshhold.

3: the “diversion” tactics were begat by you with Scheuer and political condemnation. Your counter diversion tactics are observed, and recorded… with a great deal of amusement, BTW

Revelation for you: My one moment of “taking your bait” was not to genuinely “defend the indefensible”, as you say. (So I congratulate you for taking the bite yourself).

~~~

ADDED: In case you missed it, here is your moment being reeled in for the fry pan…

You choose to defend the comments and provide context and excuses for them, or throw them back at me like somehow I am in some agreement with some purported liberal buddy. Smoke screen.
You choose to defend the comments
I do not

Checkmate. There was nothing that could be said using all combinations of politically correct language about Americans confronting crises as opposed to *recognizing* a looming crisis that affects their behavior. Parse, parse parse for a politically damning purpose.

END ADDED

~~~

My motive was to prove your sole intent…. that there was no arguing elementary language skills and social logic with you. Parsing sentences is what you live for. But it only works when you have an inferior audience. This is all about your Alinsky tactics to smear phrasing beyond all logical distortion in order to advance a political agenda.

And today, you do not win. Posterity reads this thread, and they know who Scheuer is, and with whom he aligns… you and ilk

Unfortunately, the good hearted Yon needs this lesson every once in awhile in order to conserve his stellar energy for more worthy objectives. I find it endearing he actually believes there is hope for you, and thereby engages in your low level, obvious games.

Me, on the other hand, have long recognized there is no hope for you until you – personally – get smacked with reality in your face. There is no arguing with a brick wall. It has one function… to be a brick wall and no wherewithall to know why. The only question I actually have about you is… is it by deliberate political design? Or just that you are fully drugged with socialist political opiate?

As Aye would say…. “thank you for playing”. My job here is done.

1: you lay bait
2: I pointed out you lay bait
3: you confirmed you lay bait

“Oh, and Mata was helping you more than me, as she was giving the background on Scheuer that you didn’t bother to, but which suggested you may have been correct about him, even though your poor presentation didn’t make that clear – which also suggests she was right that you were deliberately setting a trap”

Not intentionally setting a trap at all. I had no interest in finding about the history of the guy,(Scheuer) and I admit I knew little about him. I saw online somewhere his and Glen Beck’s little chat, and I thought that dude and Osama have something in common, they feel that it would take an attack on America to straighten things out. Both probably have a different agenda or purpose in mind, but both espouse the same method to achieve it. Then I find JustAl’s comment. Now there is three guys who talk about America being shook up but good, and the collapse of civilization to boot. It would eliminate the “flawed thinkers’. Now there may be three different agenda’s, but all three share a common expressed and stated method by which this could happen. Do I find that offensive? Damn Right. That’s not the way we do it here, and if the same expressed events were carried over to the Executive Branch and talked about that way, somebody would be in Federal custody.

That’s the way I see it, and yes, I put some venom into my comments. All three of those birds who see a silver lining coming from harm to our country can ball up in a big pile as far as I’m concerned and get to know each other better. I don’t regret saying that. Yeah, my response was on the gut level, and not especially well thought out, there is a time and a place for that on occasion, and I reckon I just had mine. I felt in my mind I was on pretty safe ground saying how I felt about it. In spite of everything said so far, I still do.

Mata: If stinking smelly bait has been laid, it was by JustAl.
For some reason you infer there is some high minded purpose to my response to JustAl’s comment. Think what you will. Maybe on a different thread, there is some parsing of sentences on my end, and certainly from most of the faithful here as well in a liberal bashing zeal that I have witnessed several times firsthand.

In this particular case, I will say it again:
All three of those birds who see a silver lining coming from harm to our country can ball up in a big pile as far as I’m concerned and get to know each other better.

Nothing high minded or sinister about that.
I am a guest here, and if, as you say, I have hit the limit, you have every right to block me out. “Flawed Thinkers” being weeded out is what my response in part was about.

@mooseburger:

. . . still awaiting those refs . . . (not holding my breath) . . .

moose: If stinking smelly bait has been laid, it was by JustAl.

Such a good little o’faithful/progressive devotee you are. *Always* someone else’s fault… even tho it had nothing to do with your retort.

1: you lay bait
2: I pointed out you lay bait
3: you confirmed you lay bait

Mataa said: “Such a good little o’faithful/progressive devotee you are. *Always* someone else’s fault… even tho it had nothing to do with your retort.”

I’ll take responsibility for my words here, where is JustAl at to take responsibility for his?
And why do you have to be a shill for him in his stead?

@mooseburger:

. . . still awaiting . . .

yonason: I guess I’m the weiner the world awaited…..

(and yes Mata, that IS set up bait for jokes at my expense)

First, love the sense of humor moment, moose. LOL Now, perhaps you’ll tell those that remain why JustAl… or anyone, for that matter.. needs to come back to “defend his/her comment as being so morally reprehensible merely for for using the words:

“…when all people are reduced to the basic struggle to survive …”

Wait… maybe you don’t like the words:

collapse of civilization

Or is it that they are both associated with Obama/liberal/progressive policies in the sentence?

Maybe you’ll even differentiate this from Obama’s doom and gloom phrasing for those that are actually interested in this little game? I, personally, am moving on. See you on another day.

Mata

1: you lay bait
2: I pointed out you lay bait
3: you confirmed you lay bait

Mata: It is all of the above coupled with the statement “this flawed way of thinking die out (perhaps literally)” meaning Liberals, or however distasteful to some, you could substitute the term “fellow Americans who exhibit the flawed way of thinking”, at least that’s how I read into it.

And to finally address the “bait” issue:
1. yes I do lay bait
2. I don’t mind that you point out I lay bait
3. Yes, I will again confirm that I lay bait
4. I periodically check the bait
5. I sit back and open a Beer
6. I feel a tug on the line…..
7. Damn, friggin’ baits gone, open another Beer and Rebait (the original Rebait program)
8. Outa bait, Outa beer, pack up and go home
9. Sometimes here in Southern Indiana we run a trot line
10. Carpus Delectie, or if that falls through, I visit my good friends Sam and Patty

@ mooseburger
Well moose, with your addressing of the bait issue, I have to ask: It seems that some on the left have decided to start posting on conservative blogs and pose as republicans.

Chris Parry, it appears, has advocated on his Daily Kos blog any number of egregious offenses, among them: posting hate speech on sites like Free Republic and blaming it on conservatives.

You can google it to verify. So, how do we know you and JustAl aren’t in on this together. Granted, I’m rather new to FA, but I think that is the first post I’ve ever seen by JustAl.
The plot thinkens. *que evil music here*

Aqua:
Let me assure you that I am not in any conspiracy to work your or any other blog thru deceptive practices. I am pretty straight up with my views on things, try to be open minded, and if I’m shown to be wrong, I’ll take my lumps, feel like I have learned something, and move on from there. If I think I’m right, I’ll stand my ground. Sometimes folks just have a right to be wrong about some things, and while not an admirable trait, it is an American right to be that way if you like.

I offered before that if further discussion is wanted with me on issues, that Mike (Mike’s America) does have my email address. I don’t care to see it flooded with hate, bile and venom, but I will extend the same invite to you as I did yonason, if you, Aqua, want to email me off group for a civil discussion or to satisfy your curiosity if I am a “plant”, ask Mike for my email and I have no problem with Mike giving it to you.

As for the issue of “planted” comments on Conservative blogs, that probably goes both ways, but the best way to deal with that is to either denounce the hateful or anti American comments with a public “verbal beat down”, or simply edit inappropriate comments out of the threads. There are plenty of nutjobs on both side of the fence, things are extreem enough as it is today. It is important to not only call the hateful or anti American out for what it is, but also to protect whatever good name, values and beliefs you hold so that hateful or inciteful crap doesn’t go out to the masses with your name attached.

@ mooseburger
It was tongue-in-cheek, hence the *que evil music here.*
I know a lot of people that share JustAl’s frustration. I think you may have read more into it than was intended, but as I said earlier, I don’t know JustAl or his intentions. The way I read it was: if the U.S. loses everything we’ve worked for and we’re reduced to a quasi-third world nation, people will begin to rethink their positions on many issues. Right now, we are still a relatively properous nation. If we move in the wrong direction and everyone has to struggle daily just to have enough to eat, (basic struggle to survive) even liberals will wonder why they have to bust their butts while others don’t and reap the rewards of other’s labor.
I just read that the dem’s voted down a provision to exclude illegals from the national healthcare bill. Not only that, illegals will be allowed to reap the rewards of our healthcare without being fined for not joining it. You and I won’t be allowed to “not join” without being fined. source here. And yes, I know Michelle is a conservative blogger, but home girl does her homework.
And to bring this back on topic…this is why I believe the States must invoke the 10th amendment to keep the Feds from running all over us.

@mooseburger:

“yonason: I guess I’m the weiner the world awaited…..”

No, that would be Obama, just that a lot of people, yourself apparently included, haven’t yet realized it; and the only way some will is to be “mugged by reality.” (essentially what Scheuer sounded to me like he was saying) And, even then some won’t come to their senses, but the rest of us who have will then know who they are, and never trust them again . . . in an ideal world. Unfortunately, that’s not how things work, which is why Scheuer was wrong about what he said (as I DID alude to in my posts “defending” that remark, …as I understood it).

Actually, it wasn’t your criticism of Scheuer that set me off. It was your misplaced faith in “the one.” If you hadn’t been so pro Obama I would have probably let it go, or at least not gone so postal on you.

I got upset because of your faith in Obama , despite the volumes of information available about his negatives, which are very negative and very numerous, while the positive side of the ledger is virtually empty, containing only the false hopes of those he’s conned and his promises that will never be fulfilled.

When you paint us with the Lefty liables, and then have the nerve to preach to us that we aren’t being patient enough with Obama, that’s just too much.

Obama is just doing to the country what he did to his home district in Illinois. They were worse off after his 7 years “representing” them (screwing them over), and we will fare no better. I have no desire to “wait and see what will happen,” because by then it will be too late. As Doug Ross said about that, “Now extend that kind of failure to the entire United States.” So, now you know what you stepped in when you said, “let us hope and pray that Osama can get our country back on track! “, (…and what I stepped in when I read “Obama” in place of “Osama.” – natural mistake, though)

As to the States invoking their rights under the 10th amendment, that’s all well and good. But the fact that they think they have to doesn’t bode well. Even if they are right, the system is only as good as those running it. SCOTUS doesn’t seem to have much backbone, Obama has the executive branch sewn up, and Congress has been hijacked by Loony Leftists. So, when it comes to demanding our Constitutional rights, we still have to rely on forces outside our control, forces many times greater than we are (If the military follows the Lefties, then it will be very bloody if we resist). If it does come to that, we could still win, but only under certain conditions that I don’t yet see developing. I’ve posted on that before, and don’t want to say any more about it at the moment. Still, I think Obama and his pirates have put us in a position that requires action to counter his vile socialist Putsch, and invoking the 10th is certainly one counter measure that can not be passed over.

@Jeez #18

Last I checked, the ATF is not part of the Justice Department. As an enforcement agency, they fall under the Executive Branch. While they can in Federal court file an “opinion,” they are stepping way beyond their established bureaucratic powers here, (which is precisely why there is a separation of powers.) They have no authority to tell anyone that a state law is “null and void” That is why there are Federal District Courts and SCOTUS.

(Fair warning, I’m about to go off on a tangent.)

Then again, this is the same agency (along with the FBI) that waged a siege war on a religious sect (Re: WACO,) which as we know led to the deaths of many innocent people, all in an attempt to take in custody one man for minor firearms violations. (Ignoring the local sheriff who’d told them that he could easily and without any fuss arrest take David Koresh the next time he came to town for supplies. (This was all justified to the public with newscasters telling us that the Branch Davidian were “a cult.” What religion can not be considered by some one else to be a “cult” Where is the separation between church and state here? Who authorized the ATF and FBI to decide what religions are to be treated as cults?)

These are also the very organizations that targeted Randy Weaver and family in an ill considered and botched raid/assault all over the supposed sale of two sawed-off shotguns.

Granted that most of us would consider that some of the people targeted were “on the fringe,” or “conspiracy nuts” so are quite a few others and that is still insufficient excuse for the government to react as they did. Most any clinical psychologist will tell you that if someone has paranoia you don’t you add fuel the problem by acting as their paranoia expects. Hell, anyone with training in basic military strategy know better than this.

Not trusting the government, is not against the law. Nor is it against the law to ponder if there might be conspiracies. Yet when you have agencies who are so ready to go off half cocked, using what can only be described as “excessive force” to enforce such relatively minor issues, you have to seriously reconsider just how far government should be trusted, and just who would protect us from agencies overreacting and over-reaching their authority.

Consider this: Is it paranoia if you really are being followed? 🙂