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| Kansas proclaims its sovereignty |
| 2010-02-13 |
| Legislation giving Washington D.C. a firm tongue lashing was approved Thursday by the Kansas Senate. The resolution calls on the federal government to "cease and desist" from passing onerous mandates on the states. If passed by the House the resolution would be sent to the President and other federal leaders. It demands that Washington repeal existing mandates and respect Kansas' sovereignty under the 10th Amendment, which reserves for the states rights not delegated to the federal government. Supporters note that while the resolution can't force Washington to do anything, it sends a message for Kansans upset with overreaching mandates like health care reform legislation, gun control, abortion rights and immigration policy. "It ... speaks loudly for the freedom of the citizens of the state of Kansas," said Sen. Mary Pilcher Cook, a Shawnee Republican and the main sponsor of the resolution. Seven of the 40 members of the Senate voted against the resolution. One of them, Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City, Kan. Democrat, called it "sort of sad" and noted that the Senate had pledged allegiance to the U.S. flag just minutes before the vote. "I've been unhappy with the federal government," he said. "But not to the point of secession or sedition." Similar bills are pending in Missouri. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #13 Nicely put 49 Pan. |
| Posted by: 746 2010-02-13 23:24 |
| #12 The only way we'll get rid of the feds blackmailing the states will be to take the tax out of the hands of the fed gov. They invented ridiculous tax rates leaving states with little ability to control their own destiny. Sure, states cave in to fed blackmail, the feds take money from the people and give some of it back to state polititions |
| Posted by: notascrename 2010-02-13 22:11 |
| #11 This seems to be to be foolish and a bit backward. It also seems a bit on the shortsighted scale to say, “DC is out of touch”. Before you shoot me, hear me out. If Kansas was so damn worried about DC then they need to take a good look at their Congressmen and Senators, same for Texas, Arizona and Missouri. They need to pass new state laws allowing for removal of the idiots they elected and to hold their representatives accountable. We as a nation do not do that. Once Mr Smith goes to DC it seems the states give up on him. Congressmen should answer to the governors and the people in open forums on a regular basis as directed by state law. We bitch about congress, call them out of touch, and then we elect comedians, old guard pork hounds, and WWF wrestlers into power. Congress and Senate elections are more popularity contests than choosing real leaders. We hold someone that is a great speaker in higher regard than someone who manages and leads. We get the legislation we deserve by allowing them to divide up out states districts so they will stay in power forever. We elect their children, like they are smarter because their dad was in Washington DC. We listen to people like Hannity and Olberman, believe their propaganda without question and let them divide our nation further and further toward a point where any real compromise in government is impossible. Now we are letting Palin become the self appointed leader of the tea party movement. Her agenda is not based on tackling issues, hers is pointing fingers. Ok, my rant is over. I believe the great document that starts with “We the people” means just that and until the American people take a long hard look in the mirror we the people will continue down this road of ignorance toward another civil war. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2010-02-13 18:08 |
| #10 In the past, the Federal government has responded to uppity states refusing federal mandates by withholding Federal money. Barry would never consider doing something like that now would he? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-02-13 15:54 |
| #9 Just to take the cynical, devil's advocate approach here: States want to be free from Federal mandates and restrictions, but seldom refuse Federal handouts in the form of grants, earmarks, highway building money, etc. In the past, the Federal government has responded to uppity states refusing federal mandates by withholding Federal money. States that refused to lower their speed limits to 55 were threatened with the cutoff of Federal highway funds. Most of them immediately caved in. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2010-02-13 15:52 |
| #8 "We need more states doing this." Virginia's got resolutions in the works, AP. House Joint Resolution No. 125, House Resolution No. 5, and Senate Joint Resolution No. 17 have been introduced. The House resolutions have been reported out of committee and now go to the floor for a vote. The Senate joint resolution is still in committee. Keep your fingers crossed for us. I think there are 2 House bills because the Senate is slightly majority Democrat and the sponsoring House Delegates may suspect the bill might not make it through the Senate (the sponsoring Senater is a Republican), so if they can't get a joint resolution passed, at least they can send a House resolution to D.C. Not that D.C. is going to care. :-( |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-02-13 14:29 |
| #7 So, he will rule by fiat instead of letting the system work as designed. Chairman Obama. He will wholly undo what Lincoln fought for. The union should be dissolved under these circumstances. |
| Posted by: newc 2010-02-13 12:07 |
| #6 We have been working on this for several years, and have finally joined Ok. and Tex. with our own 10th. amendment bill. I do not expect Missouri to join in since Kansas and Missouri do not agree on anything including the number of victories on the football field. Bipartisanship in kansas can be described as Wildcats and Jayhawks joining together against anything. |
| Posted by: bman 2010-02-13 11:56 |
| #5 Obama and his cronies will start cranking out executive orders and regulations instead of legislation, In the works: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/us/politics/13obama.html |
| Posted by: Gomez Threter7450 2010-02-13 10:42 |
| #4 State soverneinty resolutions; a growing movement among States to send a message to Washington. Needs to be done. Other (but not inclusive of all issues) are: firearms freedom acts, medical marijuana, National Health Care and Cap and Trade nullification. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-02-13 10:40 |
| #3 The 10th Amendment movement is well underway, and has plenty of momentum in the States. Since the national government is oblivious, the next step is for individual States to create delegations to confer with each other. This amounts to "pre-constitutional convention" discussions. It is akin to straw polling, to come up with a concise list of constitutional changes that have to be made, a process of how to both make them, and how to insure they are carried out before the convention ends. Unless agreement exists between 3/4ths of the States before the convention even begins, even if the 2/3rds of the States that are willing to call a convention, it would not be productive. Many States would be nervous about holding an "open convention", so want a minimum of debate, except to enunciate the agreement, vote on it, and return it to the States for approval. Once that is done, the convention becomes a simple majority vote overseeing authority, to insure the changes are made to the letter of the new constitution. As needed, they can relieve and replace any elected or appointed official who interferes with the convention, refuses to carry out its directives, or does not carry them out expeditiously or correctly. Security for a constitutional convention will have to be insanely strict, as every villain on the planet would sell their soul to get involvement with it. Any federal employee or official would have to be excluded, and there would have to be severe penalties, which cannot be appealed, to anyone who violated the rules. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-02-13 10:36 |
| #2 If the federal government has to work hard to find some way to foist their mandates on states, it's probably unconstitutional. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-02-13 03:07 |
| #1 We need more states doing this. Obama and his cronies will start cranking out executive orders and regulations instead of legislation, since they cannot get their sh*t sandwich legislation passed through congress. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2010-02-13 00:38 |