Recently I proposed a strategy to give the current State Sovereignty Resolution movement some teeth.  Read A VIABLE plan to save our Constitutional Republic here: [link edited for length]

A few days ago, the strategy got a major boost from well respected libertarian/conservative stalwart Dr. Walter E. Williams - a syndicated columnist, American economist and college professor at George Mason University. It is noteworthy that Williams is an African American because, as he says, "You might ask, 'Isn't the 10th Amendment that no-good states' rights amendment that Dixie governors, such as George Wallace and Orval Faubus, used to thwart school desegregation and black civil rights?' " Obviously Williams' promotion of the plan helps to detract from this false stigma.

In his article, "States Rebellion Pending", Williams references the 1994 attempt we (Council on Domestic Relations) made to get the act passed in Colorado.  I see some big similarities between my article and his and that's OK by me. I'm not in it for the glory, I just want to see a viable solution implemented.

In his article, he says,

"Put yet another way, Washington is a creature of the states, not the other way around.

Congress and the White House will laugh off these state resolutions. State legislatures must take measures that put some teeth into their 10th Amendment resolutions. Congress will simply threaten a state, for example, with a cutoff of highway construction funds if it doesn't obey a congressional mandate, such as those that require seat belt laws or that lower the legal blood-alcohol level to .08 for drivers. States might take a lead explored by Colorado.

In 1994, the Colorado Legislature passed a 10th Amendment resolution and later introduced a bill titled "State Sovereignty Act." Had the State Sovereignty Act passed both houses of the legislature, it would have required all people liable for any federal tax that's a component of the highway users fund, such as a gasoline tax, to remit those taxes directly to the Colorado Department of Revenue. The money would have been deposited in an escrow account called the "Federal Tax Fund" and remitted monthly to the IRS, along with a list of payees and respective amounts paid.

If Congress imposed sanctions on Colorado for failure to obey an unconstitutional mandate and penalized the state by withholding funds due, say $5 million for highway construction, the State Sovereignty Act would have prohibited the state treasurer from remitting any funds in the escrow account to the IRS. Instead, Colorado would have imposed a $5 million surcharge on the Federal Tax Fund account to continue the highway construction.

The eight state legislatures that have enacted 10th Amendment resolutions deserve our praise, but their next step is to give them teeth."

Read the full article here: [link edited for length]

Reader Comments:

Posted By: Michael Boldin
Date: 2009-03-30 16:20:43

Great follow up article, thanks for posting this!  Walter Williams' piece was excellent as well - especially since it attracted quite a bit of attention.

 One quick "FYI" - at the Tenth Amendment Center, we've been able to verify that 30 states have now introduced resolutions - which can be tracked here:

State Sovereignty Resolutions

The CS Monitor did a pretty good job on this issue recently too:

States Rebel Against DC

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Posted By: Mister MandM
Date: 2009-03-30 18:39:21

Let them laugh.  This is going to get real traction as Obama and his charges will continue to abuse the constitution and rule of law for their own intentions!  The more they do to advance and harden their political philosophy, the less opaque their true strategy will become.  We just need to keep an honest and open dialog and criticism about their actions.  Mike

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Posted By: Jake, the Champion of the Constitution
Date: 2009-03-31 07:36:52

Dan - Great article!  Jake

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Posted By: No Name Supplied
Date: 2009-04-28 22:50:00

Absolutly! and we must also be prepared for more extreme actions From the Terrorist-Federal Government. It's not just conspiracy or partisanship; WE THE PEOPLE will not tolerate this unconstitutional rape of OUR america and OUR civil liberties. We will resist tyranny! This is why we became a nation, and fought england in the first Revolution. The FEDS are now that ENGLAND. Literally. They will not give their power over easily.

Unless they will submit to an Audit by Congress, and a repeall of all unconstitutional powers awarded to unaccoutable inteligence Gangsters, and the oligarchical Dictators who sit on the Throne we let them build; Revolution is the responsibility of every Patriot. Those commiting crimes against our constitution are guilty of TREASON, and should be indicted on such charges! COLORADO SHALL HAVE NO PART IN THIS NEW WORLD ORDER of TYRANNY!

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Posted By: ron gibson
Date: 2009-05-12 06:53:29

We all need to get behind this movement. We CAN NOT let our Government take our guns, our rights, and our Liberties. This is our country

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