And the America we lived in in 2001 bore little relation, freedom-wise, to that of the 1980s America, when the NeoCons/NeoLibs first came to power, the sons and daughters of the National Security State, itself born in 1947. So what we have here now is the result of the natural evolution of hegemonic anti-Constitutionalism. When I figured this out, some years ago, I stopped celebrating the Fourth of July - especially with fireworks made in plants owned by the People's Liberation Army (I'll bet someone is having a laugh about that one...). So far as I'm concerned, April 19 should be the day for remembrance, reflection, and action, July 4 was dead and gone long ago.
We should reflect on the Tenth Amendment: "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." This, as laid out by James Madison, was the original ambit of the Federal Government: "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will for the most part be connected. The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people; and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State." Federalist Papers 45 and 46.
In the last 100 years or so, especially since 1937, when under FDR we had a bloodless coup which created a parallel government - see https://mises.org/library/revolution-was, and 1947 when a further gross arrogation of powers took place with the passage of the McCarran National Security Act and added powers to it, many of them secret (see https://www.cato.org/commentary/national-security-state). The interests of the several states and their peoples - "The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people; and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State." were thus invaded and taken over by the parallel government and then the National Security State, neither of which had any Constitutional right to exist and were prohibited by the Tenth Amendment. And it continues on today, regardless of who is President: https://www.fff.org/explore-freedom/article/the-federal-coup-to-overthrow-the-states-and-nix-the-10th-amendment-is-underway/
So we need to remember these things - and this, from Federalist Paper 46: "Were it admitted, however, that the Federal government may feel an equal disposition with the State governments to extend its power beyond the due limits, the latter would still have the advantage in the means of defeating such encroachments. If an act of a particular State, though unfriendly to the national government, be generally popular in that State and should not too grossly violate the oaths of the State officers, it is executed immediately and, of course, by means on the spot and depending on the State alone. The opposition of the federal government, or the interposition of federal officers, would but inflame the zeal of all parties on the side of the State, and the evil could not be prevented or repaired, if at all, without the employment of means which must always be resorted to with reluctance and difficulty." Remember that next time you sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic... perhaps on the Fourth, perhaps after the Pledge in which case you assert that the Union is not federal, made up of a confederation of states, but is "one nation, indivisible".
In light of the words.plans, and hopes of the founders, if you think about it, considering what we have now, the whole thing falls to pieces, a glorious edifice which is little more than a crumbling stage set for a show which concluded its run some years back. But we know from where we started, and when and how we diverged from that path, and we can figure a path back, and we must. And that is what the Fourth of July should be for.
Excellent points, S47, all of them. I was going to comment on a couple specifically--your reminder of the power and meaning of the 10A is especially poignant and painful today, that being but one--but you covered them all quite well enough, thanksveddymuch. Good on ya!
And the America we lived in in 2001 bore little relation, freedom-wise, to that of the 1980s America, when the NeoCons/NeoLibs first came to power, the sons and daughters of the National Security State, itself born in 1947. So what we have here now is the result of the natural evolution of hegemonic anti-Constitutionalism. When I figured this out, some years ago, I stopped celebrating the Fourth of July - especially with fireworks made in plants owned by the People's Liberation Army (I'll bet someone is having a laugh about that one...). So far as I'm concerned, April 19 should be the day for remembrance, reflection, and action, July 4 was dead and gone long ago.
We should reflect on the Tenth Amendment: "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." This, as laid out by James Madison, was the original ambit of the Federal Government: "The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the Federal Government, are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce; with which last the power of taxation will for the most part be connected. The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people; and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State." Federalist Papers 45 and 46.
In the last 100 years or so, especially since 1937, when under FDR we had a bloodless coup which created a parallel government - see https://mises.org/library/revolution-was, and 1947 when a further gross arrogation of powers took place with the passage of the McCarran National Security Act and added powers to it, many of them secret (see https://www.cato.org/commentary/national-security-state). The interests of the several states and their peoples - "The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people; and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State." were thus invaded and taken over by the parallel government and then the National Security State, neither of which had any Constitutional right to exist and were prohibited by the Tenth Amendment. And it continues on today, regardless of who is President: https://www.fff.org/explore-freedom/article/the-federal-coup-to-overthrow-the-states-and-nix-the-10th-amendment-is-underway/
So we need to remember these things - and this, from Federalist Paper 46: "Were it admitted, however, that the Federal government may feel an equal disposition with the State governments to extend its power beyond the due limits, the latter would still have the advantage in the means of defeating such encroachments. If an act of a particular State, though unfriendly to the national government, be generally popular in that State and should not too grossly violate the oaths of the State officers, it is executed immediately and, of course, by means on the spot and depending on the State alone. The opposition of the federal government, or the interposition of federal officers, would but inflame the zeal of all parties on the side of the State, and the evil could not be prevented or repaired, if at all, without the employment of means which must always be resorted to with reluctance and difficulty." Remember that next time you sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic... perhaps on the Fourth, perhaps after the Pledge in which case you assert that the Union is not federal, made up of a confederation of states, but is "one nation, indivisible".
In light of the words.plans, and hopes of the founders, if you think about it, considering what we have now, the whole thing falls to pieces, a glorious edifice which is little more than a crumbling stage set for a show which concluded its run some years back. But we know from where we started, and when and how we diverged from that path, and we can figure a path back, and we must. And that is what the Fourth of July should be for.
Excellent points, S47, all of them. I was going to comment on a couple specifically--your reminder of the power and meaning of the 10A is especially poignant and painful today, that being but one--but you covered them all quite well enough, thanksveddymuch. Good on ya!