Supreme Court case precedent and the congressional record show that the Founding States had intended for the states, not the feds, to provide the social spending programs that the feds are now wrongly providing.
“Congress is not empowered to tax for those purposes which are within the exclusive province of the States.” Justice John Marshall, Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824.
”... the care of the property, the liberty, and the life of the citizen, under the solemn sanction of an oath imposed by your Federal Constitution, is in the States, and not in the Federal Government [emphases added].” —Rep. John Bingham, Congressional Globe, 1866. (See about middle of 3rd column.)
But with all due respect to mom & pop, since parents are not making sure that their children are being taught the Founding States' division of federal and state government powers evidenced by the 10th Amendment (10A), the following constitutional crisis has happened imo.
The ill-conceived 17th Amendment (17A) allowed federal lawmakers to effectively repeal 10A, lawmakers using 17A to exploit widespread ignorance of the fed’s constitutionally limited powers.
More specifically, career lawmakers exploit citizens by promising them social spending programs and civil rights protections to get themselves elected and reelected, low-information voters evidently not understanding that the states have never given the feds the express constitutional power to establish most programs and protections.
And the reason that the electoral college is an issue is this. Corrupt Congress needs a likewise corrupt POTUS to sign unconstitutional bills into law, bills that steal state powers and state revenues uniquely associated with those powers, state revenues stolen by means of unconstitutional federal taxes, Obamacare a great example of unconstitutional legislation.
"State inspection laws, health laws, and laws for regulating the internal commerce of a State, and those which respect turnpike roads, ferries, &c. are not within the power granted to Congress [emphases added]." —Gibbons v. Ogden, 1824.
”From the accepted doctrine that the United States is a government of delegated powers, it follows that those not expressly granted, or reasonably to be implied from such as are conferred, are reserved to the states, or to the people. To forestall any suggestion to the contrary, the Tenth Amendment was adopted. The same proposition, otherwise stated, is that powers not granted are prohibited [emphasis added].” —United States v. Butler, 1936.
"The smart crooks long ago figured out that getting themselves elected to federal office to make unconstitutional tax laws to fill their pockets is a much easier way to make a living than robbing banks." —me
"Federal career lawmakers probably laugh all the way to the bank to deposit bribes for putting loopholes for the rich and corporations in tax appropriations laws, Congress actually not having the express constitutional authority to make most laws where domestic policy is concerned. Such laws are based on stolen state powers and uniquely associated stolen state revenues." —me
The first step to remedy this constitutional crisis …
Patriots need to finish the job that they started by electing Trump president in 2016.
More specifically, patriots now need to be making sure that there are plenty of state sovereignty-respecting, Trump-supporting patriot candidate lawmakers on the 2018 primary ballots, and pink-slip career lawmakers by sending patriots candidate lawmakers to D.C. on election day.
And in order to make Pres. Trump's vision for MAGA last for many generations imo, patriots must support Trump in working with the states to repeal the 16th and 17th Amendments.
Note that by repealing 17A, the states will effectively secede from the corrupt federal government. (Are you listening Gov. Brown?)
As an outsider looking in the only thing that puzzles me is the power of federal courts. Maybe I am use to the virtual absolute power of a Prime Minister (as long as his party backs him) that it stuns me that Democrats can cherry pick a liberal federal court and put a stall on an Executive Order.