Well, the DeceptiCONS and citizens of Libtardia have a lot to learn about history. Let me take you back to 1798, the year that Thomas Jefferson and James Madison teamed up to author the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions.
These documents were a response to the overreach by the Adams Administration and Congress on the "Alien & Sedition Acts". A leader was needed to shepherd Jefferson's resolution through the Virginia Assembly and Jefferson chose John Taylor of Caroline for the task.
During the heat of debate and with 1798's version of DeceptiCONS arguing that with implied powers Congress could pretty much do whatever it wanted, Taylor stuck to the principle that the Constitution must be enforced against Congress BY the States. The reward for this action Taylor said, was written in a local newspaper:
"As to the clause giving Congress power to pass necessary laws for carrying delegated powers into effect, it created no new powers, but had reference to the powers already granted. The acceptance of the doctrine of implication would mean that "those great and inestimable rights which flow from Nature, and are the gift of Nature's God, will be assassinated by the rude and unfeeliing hand of ferocious despotism". Answering G. Taylor's argument that the power to pass laws relative to alien enemies was implied, he said that Congress had the express power to declare war, that as soon as war was declared, by the Law of nations, alien enemies became prisoners of war, and Congress could say what was to be done with them. And then, after a gloomy picture of all the departments of the government swallowed up in one, he exclaimed:
"What, then, are the people to wait till the pressure of the evil principle is felt? No. As an elegant author expresses it, they augur misgovernment at a distance, and snuff the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze... By the adoption of the Resolutions you raise a rampart against the inroads of the usurpation, and your names will be wafted down on the stream of time, crowned with laurels, and as they pass, will be hailed by a grateful posterity with plausive acclamations." - Excerpted from "The Virginia Report of 1799-1800,Touching the Alien and Sedition Laws; Together With the Virginia Resolutions of December 21, 1798.
I have said on this program and have quoted others, like Dr. Kevin Gutzman as saying that if Republicans do what we believe they were sent to do and that they MUST do. Gutzman wrote recently "Lining out programs is both fiscally essential and, in light of the Tea Party phenomenon, politically necessary to Republicans. Constitutionally, Republicans are in the best position they can be in: they have control only of the chamber of Congress in which all spending bills must originate. So, Republicans, line out programs. Kill them. Tell the people why you’re doing it. Do it now. You will be rewarded. If the program doesn’t go through, blame Obama. It will be his fault. Your constituents will understand. You have power without responsibility, so take advantage of it."
Amen.
From the Mike Church show.
The Virginia Resolutions of 1778
RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of Virginia, doth unequivocably express a firm resolution to maintain and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of this State, against every aggression either foreign or domestic, and that they will support the government of the United States in all measures warranted by the former.
That this assembly most solemnly declares a warm attachment to the Union of the States, to maintain which it pledges all its powers; and that for this end, it is their duty to watch over and oppose every infraction of those principles which constitute the only basis of that Union, because a faithful observance of them, can alone secure it's existence and the public happiness.
That this Assembly doth explicitly and peremptorily declare, that it views the powers of the federal government, as resulting from the compact, to which the states are parties; as limited by the plain sense and intention of the instrument constituting the compact; as no further valid that they are authorized by the grants enumerated in that compact; and that in case of a deliberate, palpable, and dangerous exercise of other powers, not granted by the said compact, the states who are parties thereto, have the right, and are in duty bound, to interpose for arresting the progress of the evil, and for maintaining within their respective limits, the authorities, rights and liberties appertaining to them.
That the General Assembly doth also express its deep regret, that a spirit has in sundry instances, been manifested by the federal government, to enlarge its powers by forced constructions of the constitutional charter which defines them; and that implications have appeared of a design to expound certain general phrases (which having been copied from the very limited grant of power, in the former articles of confederation were the less liable to be misconstrued) so as to destroy the meaning and effect, of the particular enumeration which necessarily explains and limits the general phrases; and so as to consolidate the states by degrees, into one sovereignty, the obvious tendency and inevitable consequence of which would be, to transform the present republican system of the United States, into an absolute, or at best a mixed monarchy.
That the General Assembly doth particularly protest against the palpable and alarming infractions of the Constitution, in the two late cases of the "Alien and Sedition Acts" passed at the last session of Congress; the first of which exercises a power no where delegated to the federal government, and which by uniting legislative and judicial powers to those of executive, subverts the general principles of free government; as well as the particular organization, and positive provisions of the federal constitution; and the other of which acts, exercises in like manner, a power not delegated by the constitution, but on the contrary, expressly and positively forbidden by one of the amendments thereto; a power, which more than any other, ought to produce universal alarm, because it is levelled against that right of freely examining public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people thereon, which has ever been justly deemed, the only effectual guardian of every other right.
That this state having by its Convention, which ratified the federal Constitution, expressly declared, that among other essential rights, "the Liberty of Conscience and of the Press cannot be cancelled, abridged, restrained, or modified by any authority of the United States," and from its extreme anxiety to guard these rights from every possible attack of sophistry or ambition, having with other states, recommended an amendment for that purpose, which amendment was, in due time, annexed to the Constitution; it would mark a reproachable inconsistency, and criminal degeneracy, if an indifference were now shewn, to the most palpable violation of one of the Rights, thus declared and secured; and to the establishment of a precedent which may be fatal to the other.
That the good people of this commonwealth, having ever felt, and continuing to feel, the most sincere affection for their brethren of the other states; the truest anxiety for establishing and perpetuating the union of all; and the most scrupulous fidelity to that constitution, which is the pledge of mutual friendship, and the instrument of mutual happiness; the General Assembly doth solemnly appeal to the like dispositions of the other states, in confidence that they will concur with this commonwealth in declaring, as it does hereby declare, that the acts aforesaid, are unconstitutional; and that the necessary and proper measures will be taken by each, for co-operating with this state, in maintaining the Authorities, Rights, and Liberties, referred to the States respectively, or to the people.
That the Governor be desired, to transmit a copy of the foregoing Resolutions to the executive authority of each of the other states, with a request that the same may be communicated to the Legislature thereof; and that a copy be furnished to each of the Senators and Representatives representing this state in the Congress of the United States.
Agreed to by the Senate, December 24, 1798.
