[Brass Lamp]

Madison was saying the states would be subordinate to the national government. This was all well understood at the time.

That is incorrect. The Federal system is a divisional government in which both central and State entities are equally subordinate to the "People" and are delegated different subject material over which they govern. In short, the States build little red school houses and the Feds build aircraft carriers. The States would be subordinate to the center if building little red school houses on aircraft carriers, however.

That the supremacy clause makes the central government supreme over the States in all matters is a common misconception which should have been resolved by the Ninth and Tenth Amendments which, being amendments, trump anything preceding them anyway.

[mek1959]

Spot on Brass Lamp! But you won't get much support for your antiquated ideas around here. Sadly, I'm finding that even though people say they hold the Constitution dear in word, when it comes to deed, in many ways, there are as many living constitutionalists who call themselves conservative as there are progressives who are living constitutionalists.

I've been discussing an Article V convention and pretty much no one supports it even though it IS a Constitutional solution. And Federalist 45 and Madison's notion of “dual sovereignty”, who needs it! And the 9th and 10th Amendment, why how dare you assert they are anything more that “truisms!”

[Huck]

No, actually you are incorrect, as 200 years has shown. 9th and 10th amendments? LoL. Stop it. You’re killing me.