State Sovereignty

By Douglas V. Gibbs

State Sovereignty is not secession. It is the state of autonomy originally enjoyed by the States. In the beginning, the United States meant "these States that are united." It may also be characterized as "the united states are, rather than the United States is." Some people actually believe that the federal government exists to tell the States what to do, when in reality it is the opposite.

All federal authorities were granted to the federal government by the States, and according to the Constitution the federal government cannot act outside those authorities. If the federal government feels it needs an additional authority, it cannot simply act on that impulse, but rather must ask the States for that new authority through the amendment process, which then requires a 3/4 State ratification. In other words, the federal government must ask the States' permission before taking on new powers. The American federal government has been acting outside its authorities for a long time, and the tyranny of the judiciary has been acting as an accomplice. The current Obama administration and the Congressional Democrats have literally done as they please regardless of the States. It is time to declare sovereignty once again.

All powers once belonged to the States. The States granted some of their powers to the federal government so that it may perform the tasks necessary to protect, preserve and promote the union. These authorities were given to the federal government so that the central government may perform these functions. The federal government's authorities are expressly enumerated in the U.S. Constitution. As per the 10th Amendment, any authorities not granted to the federal government, and not prohibited to the States, belong to the States.

We have strayed from that concept, and it is time for the States to declare their sovereignty once again.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary