Good One, Boortz

From www.boortz.com

One of the ideas I present in that chapter is a 10th Amendment Commission.

You are aware of what the 10th Amendment to our U.S. Constitution says, aren't you? Maybe that's a bit of a stretch, considering the fact that over 50% of Americans cannot name a single cabinet department.

Here you go ... the entire text of the 10th Amendment:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved for the States respectively, or to the people.

Isn't that beautiful? This is the Amendment our founding fathers placed in the Constitution to limit the centralization of power in a federal government. The Constitution grants specific powers to the federal government, and then reserves the rest of those powers for us and our local governments.

Do any of you actually believe that our politicians have paid any attention whatsoever to the 10th Amendment over the course of the last fifty years? You're right. They haven't. We are approaching the point where virtually all government power is concentrated in Washington D.C. State and local governments must constantly consult with the federal government and plow through federal rules and regulations before they can so much as set a speed limit or build a sidewalk. This is not as it was supposed to be.

So ... how about someone out there campaigning on the idea of a 10th Amendment Commission. Tell the voters that as soon as you are in power you'll appoint a panel of local and federal elected officials, along with representatives from the business community and private civic groups, to form this commission for the purpose of studying and making recommendations on ways to return the power of governance to the local level, where our founding fathers wanted it to be.

Here's some commentary bound to rile Gonzo - but Gonz, please comment on what she says, not on who she is, thanks.

Fascist America, in 10 easy steps

From Hitler to Pinochet and beyond, history shows there are certain steps that any would-be dictator must take to destroy constitutional freedoms. And, argues Naomi Wolf, George Bush and his administration seem to be taking them all

More on the Federalist

I'll bet Gonzo could make as good a case for this supporting his argument as I could for mine.

In the Founders’ view, the “blessings of liberty” were threatened by “those military establishments which must gradually poison its very fountain.” The Federalist No. 45, p. 238 (J. Madison). No fewer than 10 issues of the Federalist were devoted in whole or part to allaying fears of oppression from the proposed Constitution’s authorization of standing armies in peacetime. Many safeguards in the Constitution reflect these concerns. Congress’s authority “[t]o raise and support Armies” was hedged with the proviso that “no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years.” U.S. Const., Art. 1, §8, cl. 12. Except for the actual command of military forces, all authorization for their maintenance and all explicit authorization for their use is placed in the control of Congress under Article I, rather than the President under Article II. As Hamilton explained, the President’s military authority would be “much inferior” to that of the British King:

“It would amount to nothing more than the supreme command and direction of the military and naval forces, as first general and admiral of the confederacy: while that of the British king extends to the declaring of war, and to the raising and regulating of fleets and armies; all which, by the constitution under consideration, would appertain to the legislature.” The Federalist No. 69, p. 357.

The Constitution on War Powers

For the benefit of people who seem to have forgotten how this country works:

Section 8. The Congress shall have power to...provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States;...

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;...

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;...And

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.