The United State of America

The Atlantic ^ | July 31st, 2014 | Richard A. Epstein and Mario Loyola

[Jacquerie]

The tug of war between the president and Congress is steadily escalating. The most recent sign of incipient institutional breakdown is House Speaker John Boehner’s suit against President Obama for rewriting laws and stepping on Congress’s turf.

But lurking in the wings is a second separation-of-powers issue, just as important, that Americans have mostly overlooked—the separation between federal and state government. In many areas, that vital divide is fast disappearing, owing to a relentless expansion of federal power. And both political parties share the blame.

Federal officials exert enormous influence over state budgets and state regulators, often behind the scenes. The new federalism replaces the “laboratories of democracy” with heavy-handed, once-size-fits-all solutions. Uniformity wins but diversity loses, along with innovation, local choice, and the Constitution’s necessary limits on government power.

[Jacquerie]

"These problems have their roots in a major constitutional transformation that began a hundred years ago. In 1913, the 16th Amendment was ratified, allowing Congress to institute a real income tax for the first time. Later that year the 17th Amendment provided for direct election of senators."

[bamahead]

Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!

[TADSLOS]

Fedzilla. Out of the cage since Reconstruction.

[Repeal The 17th]

A good read...
but what are we going to do about it?

My fantasy:
What if the House of Representatives just did nothing...
and I mean absolutely nothing.
No committee meetings, no legislation brought to the floor,
no budget, no appropriations, NOTHING.
Just adjourn and go home.
What would happen to the Fed Gov?

[ForYourChildren]

Not trying to be ornery, good article, but still, where has this author been, “the separation between federal and state.. that vital divide is fast disappearing”

[Jacquerie]

The last para of the column implies the solution. Not only is it not the duty of Scotus to defend the 10th Amendment, it isn't capable.

[Jacquerie]

Yep, the Framers allotted power to Congress to counter El Presidente.

[Tzimisce]

Obama would take everything via executive order and the courts would back him up.

[GraceG]

You know I had a conversation at lunch with someone today that the thing I fear the most is some powerful conservative who is fed up with the stupidity of the average america throwing their hands up in the air and saying:

“You know what, you all are too stuipid for freedom and you want socialism and top down state power, you can have it and I will ram it down your throat so that you all choke on it”.

We know the left better than the left knows itself and someone like that would be damned dangerous as the would know HOW and WHY their enemy does what they do and GOD help us all if they decide that their own “ROLE” is Punish the sleeping americans with Tyranny in order to teach all the doltas out there a “lesson”.

Honestly, That scares the living SH!T out of me...

While the leftists seem greedy and manipulative for their own ends they are short sighted to their own damned motives (and flaws) , someone who listens to people like Mark Levin and reads Montesque and listens to Reagan but ALSO UNDERSTANDS them decides to turn on US use that Knowledge to punish all of us....

May God have mercy on us should a self appointed Angel of Vengence decide to enact divine retribution on a sleeping America.... I fear someone likle that more than a demon like Obama....

[frog in a pot]

Just adjourn and go home.
What would happen to the Fed Gov?

With the current marxist in office, such an abdication would provide the basis for declaring martial law, suspension of elections and all manner of evils.

We can hear it now, "The (R)'s have dealt a fatal blow to the normal operation of our government and in this time of great peril, I have no choice but to (fill in the blank)." Who could stop him?

[right way right]

My fantasy is a total tax revolt.
De-fund the whole problem.

[Don Corleone]

"When in the course of human events......"

[Jacquerie]

I think I follow you.

What if a Huey Long combined with a George Wallace and said, "to hell with a congress that enjoys perks and avoids its duties." It that the gist?

As for the Left: Progressives Understand The Constitution

[ronnyquest]

"These problems have their roots in a major unconstitutional transformation that began a hundred years ago. In 1913, the 16th Amendment was improperly ratified while most of Congress was away for Christmas break, allowing Congress to illegally institute a real income tax for the first time in clear opposition to the founding principles of the republic. Later that year the 17th Amendment provided for direct election of senators."

There we are. Income taxes are immoral and unethical. Learn the history of the Federal Reserve and the debt you did not incur!

[ronnyquest]

"Who could stop him?"

Who, indeed?

[WashingtonSource]

Bump

[Rome2000]

Democracy sucks

[huldah1776]

Thought of the tax revolt as soon as someone said to stop funding the White House pen.

[huldah1776]

Saw a bumper sticker today.

Tax Land not income.

Guess who owned the car?

Then I thought of John Adams who thought only landowners should vote.

Democracy sucks because people are fallen.

[right way right]

A consumption tax would seem much more moral. IMO.
Tax amounts would be proportional to lifestyle.
Imagine the capitalists innovating and competing for peoples money.
That is how this country became great.