If you haven’t seen it yet go to youtube and search for

“don’t talk to cops” and watch parts 1 and 2.

If you look the site over you will see that the Ninth is not completely overlooked in favor of the Tenth and the movement is within the states not directed at getting the federal government to recognize the Amendment, but to get individuals and each individual State, and its legislators, to recognize their power over the federal government. Particularly the power to ignore federal laws (the WoD, RealId, NCLB, etc.) which is a form of nullification.

“You are free to do as we tell you! You are free to do as we tell you!”

Unfortunately, courts instead like to use the Ninth Amendment to enforce as “rights” things which have NEVER been regarded as such by the majority of the population. That’s not a legitimate role for the courts, but unfortunately they seem to have latched on to it.

I read the William Saletan Slate article and started feeling warm and fuzzy about some of my fellow lefties starting to “get it,” then I read this. My mellow has officially been harshed. Dammit!

Progressives are starting to sound a bit too much like the Bush apologists did during the early stages of the “War on Terror,” and I don’t like it one bit. First, the incessant “Tea Bagger” jokes by people who should know better, then the knee-jerk racism charges (to be sure, some of the 9-12 protest folks are clearly racists, but it is a question of proportionality), now this. Will Ezra Klein or Ed Schulz just say “up against the wall, motherfucker,” at some point? If so, it will be a great recruiting day for libertarians.

I salute your energy but just like socialism was always going to win out, the authority of the state was always going to grow past any constraints.

Which is why this quote is accurate and necessary:
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” – Thomas Jefferson

I think it’s long past time …

#14 Saint Zero

I think it’s cute to presume that the government will suddenly retract back behind it’s constutional boundaries. Or maybe that “Smaller Government” bunch will finally win out, who knows?

I’ve been part of the “Smaller Government” bunch for a couple decades and have yet to bump into one who honestly believes that “government will suddenly retract back behind it’s constutional boundaries”. And if I did, I would want some of what they’re smoking.

I hadn’t even heard of a “Tenther” yet. I think it’s cute to presume that the government will suddenly retract back behind it’s constutional boundaries. Or maybe that “Smaller Government” bunch will finally win out, who knows?

The US Constitution was born of mission creep. It’s passing overturned and betrayed the American Revolution and the only founding document worth revering, the Declaration of Independence. So, big surprise that it has failed to curb additional creep (or creeps). At the time of it’s passing, opponents of the Constitution predicted that it would fail to limit power but would encourage its growth. Clearly they were right and it never should have been adopted. We’d be wiser to heed the advice of the men who voted against it, scrap it, and adopt something more meager, rather than continue to stand against the tide of 220 years of history, pretending that the US Constitution will take us in any direction other than the one we’re headed in.

Federalism was such a good idea, too bad it’s been FUBAR.