[justshutupandtakeit]

Washington never denounced or renounced Virginia. He merely felt that being an American was a higher calling. This was not uncommon for patriots of his day and came about after the early unifying events of the 1770s. He considered himself an American from Virginia.

Read the two documents they are very clear.

Many of the founders in 1787 considered the states to be an impediment to a strong Union. Madison was one of them. They (particularly those who had fought in the Continental Army) had seen what excessive State power had done to the new Nation and were determined to reduce it. That was one of the major beefs of the anti-Federalists and why they opposed it. Federalists (even Madison and Jefferson considered themselves so at that time) realized that the country would not survive without a means of cementing the people into one nation. That is why the constitution starts with We the People not We the STates. It is also why the state legislatures were not allowed to ratify the document only special conventions. This would prevent any state in the future from passing a law de-ratifying it.

The powers spoken of in the 10th amendment were local police powers, health and welfare regulations etc. NOT an ability to destroy the constitution. What sense would that have made? You really believe the 10th was a bomb waiting to explode the constitution? Please Madison, Hamilton, Washington and the boys were too smart for that. Even Elbridge Gerry was too smart for that.

No state can or could pass a law or take an action which would be designed to effect the whole Union. That is why the constitution was created, to produce a Law of the Land. It is/was Supreme. No state action in conflict with it is allowable.

[4CJ]

That is why the constitution starts with We the People not We the STates.

Ummm, no. The Committee of Style changed it for obvious reasons. Originally it listed each state by name, but once the convention modified the proposed Constitution to become effective with only 9 signatories, it became prudent to simply state "we the people", instead of listing all 715 combinations of states satisfying the requirement.

The powers spoken of in the 10th amendment were local police powers, health and welfare regulations etc. NOT an ability to destroy the constitution.

I am amazed at this ability to divine intent, or to read between the lines what has escaped every single founding father that wrote and debated the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Do you get many calls from police departments to help solve cases?

No state can or could pass a law or take an action which would be designed to effect the whole Union.

I am impressed, you got that one right. When a state secedes, only THAT state secedes, not every state.