It is Time to use the N-Word

After the United States Senate passed its version of nationalized healthcare, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky warned Democrats that they would catch an earful from constituents. Several neighbors have already sent scorching emails to Senators Feingold and Kohl and Representative Ron Kind.

The correspondences berated these Wisconsin representatives for their yes vote on several fronts ranging from the havoc government run health care will bring to medical care, the cost, and the Constitutionality of it all. These arguments were well vocalized at town hall meetings during the congressional summer recess and tea party rallies. Even recent opinion polls have reflected distaste for government-run healthcare by a vast majority of respondents. Despite all of this, the Democrats turned their backs and voted “aye”.

No reason exists to believe that votes will be switched before the final conference bill comes to the respective floors of Congress just because representatives receive an additional load of outraged public sentiment. It is obvious the Senators and House members who support the legislation do not care about opinions, economic logic, or the Constitution they swore to uphold and defends (to be fair, the Republicans have not shown any adherence to the Constitution either).

Some believe the wrath of 2010 elections will bring a dramatic realignment in Congress and the possibility that health care legislation in part or whole will be rescinded; unfortunately, the numbers damper such wishful thinking. Republicans plus any moderate Democrats will need to control two-thirds of the seats in both houses of Congress in order to override a certain Presidential veto. The odds of this happening are about the same as an individual hitting Powerball.

But not all is lost and the country does not need to blindly follow the path of Washington D.C. Letters need to be written and emails sent to state representatives urging one of two actions. Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 states,

…all Duties, Imports, and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States…

The special treatment exempting Nebraska from future Medicare tax increases in order to garner the vote of Senator Ben Nelson is one of the more egregious usurpations of the Constitution ever witnessed. The state of Wisconsin and the other 48 states must bear the costs of federal law for the “Cornhusker” state. Our elected officials in Madison should not stand idle while the citizens of Wisconsin shoulder the burden for the special exemption of another state. For me and my neighbors, emails need to bombard the in boxes of Kitty Rhoades in the State Assembly and Shelia Harsdorf in the Senate demanding that they protect the people of Wisconsin from this legislation. The state legislature needs to file suit with the US Supreme Court and ask that the healthcare bill with its Nebraska exemption be declared unconstitutional.

In the Kentucky and Virginia Resolves, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison argued that the Constitution was a compact among the states. The federal government had no rights to exercise power not specifically granted to it by the Constitution (enumerated powers). When Washington D.C. assumed powers not granted, states would be the final arbiter as to the Constitutionality of such acts and could render them void.

The Tenth Amendment states that those rights not specifically granted to Congress shall remain the rights of the states and individuals. If Congress wishes to attain more power than Article V of the Constitution (method for amending) provides a process for additional rights to the federal government. The 16th Amendment, which allowed for the establishment of an Income Tax, is a perfect illustration of the amending process where Congress gained power not originally given to it. If Congress wants the authority to bailout corporations, provide farm subsidies, control the climate, or provide health care, then they must ask the states permission to do so (two-thirds of the states must approve for an amendment to be ratified).

For too long state governments have remained mute while the federal government has eroded state and individual rights. State legislatures by their silence have become agents of Congress and national bureaucracies.

The good news is that some states have found their constitutional voices for nullification whereby federal laws are declared void. Montana and Tennessee have already passed laws in direct defiance of federal gun laws. A host of other states that include Texas, Utah, Florida, Missouri and Michigan are also considering similar legislation.

Thirteen states have some type of medical marijuana laws in direct contradiction to national legislation. Over the past two years twenty-five states have passed resolutions or laws that refuse to implement the Real ID Act. Even though the law is on the federal books, actions by the states for all practical purposes have kept it from being enforced.

In response to possible healthcare legislation, Arizona has a ballot proposition in 2010, which if passed, will override any federal law requiring individuals or corporations to participate in any Congressional mandated health system. Seven additional states (Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, and Georgia) are in some stage of the nullification process.

The question for 2010 is who echoes the voices of Wisconsin citizens. Who will protect our natural rights and hold the federal government to the limitations of the Constitution. Not to diminish the importance of national elections, but the resurrection our republic begins at home. It is our state representatives that need to receive an earful about national healthcare, gun laws and every intrusion by Congress outside of it Constitutional boundaries.

It is time for them to hear from the people!

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