The States vs the big State

I had no idea so many other states had introduced legislation asserting their 10th Amendment rights. I’ve had the Texas resolution (HCR 50) hanging in my office here for months waiting for it to pass.

The Tenth Amendment Center is tracking all of these which have become more important as the Federal government attempts to overstep its bounds – as in the current health care bills on capital hill.

These non-binding resolutions, often called “state sovereignty resolutions” do no carry the force of law. Instead, they are intended to be a statement of the legislature of the state. They play an important role, however.

Sometimes I wonder how hard it would be and whether it would make a large difference to go back to the state legislatures directly appointing the Senate representatives. The Senate was intended as the representation of the States while the House would represent the people. If the Senate was beholden to the state, would they be passing bills usurping the state authority?

I’ll just take that off your hands

Another unconstitutional asset seizure fills the county coffers in Minneola, Kansas.

MINNEOLA, Kan. —  A Clark County undersheriff says he was just following his instincts when he found more than $1 million during a traffic stop.

Undersheriff Daniel Knowles stopped a vehicle last week on U.S. 54 just outside of Minneola and became suspicious of the driver.

Knowles searched the car and found a hidden compartment with the money packed inside. He says the money smelled like marijuana. The total amount was $1,017,183.

Paperwork has been filed with the Clark County Attorney's office to begin the asset forfeiture process.

The Drug Enforcement Agency is helping to investigate the incident. The names of the people in the car have not been released.

Notice that it doesn’t say any drugs were found or anything illegal took place at all as far as the evidence showed. It was just an unusually large amount of cash. Last time I checked, carrying large quantities of a legal item was not illegal – and suspicion should not be grounds for the state confiscating private property! Unfortunately the current law allows for just that. Possession is nine tenths of the laws  - unless there is the most tenuous link to a drug crime suspicion.

Lessons learned: Don’t consent to your car being searched and definitely don’t keep your product and your funds in the same bags.

Respect my authoritah!

John Ratzenberger at the Brown rally earlier this week. Enjoy! (from the corner)

This isn't the Democratic party of our fathers and grandfathers. This is the party of Woodstock hippies.  I was at Woodstock — I built the stage. And when everything fell apart, and people were fighting for peanut-butter sandwiches, it was the National Guard who came in and saved the same people who were protesting them. So when Hillary Clinton a few years ago wanted to build a Woodstock memorial, I said it should be a statue of a National Guardsman feeding a crying hippie.

I’d love to add something witty to that but I’m not sure if I can top “National Guardsmen feeding a crying hippie.” except to plagiarize Weasel Zipper’s

And we are the party of hippy punchers....

Now we stop spending?

So Obama is going to propose a 3 year spending freeze discretionary spending for the Federal government. Does he honestly think (a) this will help the federal budget and (b) will help him politically?

1. This starts in October. Hmmm, whats right after that? Oh yeah, the elections.
2. Um, where were you with this for the last 12 months?
3. The budget crisis approaching (or already here) is not primarily a discretionary spending problem. The problem is with medicare and social security which are not addressed with this false proposal of fiscal responsibility.

The only solution that we need now is one of spending cuts – not spending freezes. Cut the Department of Education loose. Cut the Department of Energy loose. Shall I go on?

(You can have a look at some other good ideas over at CATO’s Downsizing the Federal Government site)

No Sir. You may not search my car.

 This is why you never consent to a search.

1. Cops ask to search your vehicle
2. You consent
3. Cops find bag of coconut
4. Cops throw you in jail for 5 days waiting for drug lab results showing it is not crack cocaine

Knowing and using your rights protects you from harm brought on by those with power. It makes no difference whether they intend to harm you or not. Often its done ignorantly with good intentions.

<HT: Flex Your Rights>

California gets on it’s knees

As I’ve said before, you don’t make something legal solely for budgetary reasons. The California budget shortfall is the only reason the politicians there can allow this bill to even be discussed.

According to the LA Times

A proposal to legalize and tax marijuana in California was approved by a key committee of the Assembly … The Public Safety Committee voted 4-3 to approve AB 390 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), who said the bill would provide tax revenue to the state and regulation of the drug.

In any event, what happens if one state legalizes a portable substance that is seriously illegal everywhere else. Would I be able to get past airport security carrying a few joints? What if I wanted to fly just from L.A. to San Francisco? How much weed grown in California will end up in the rest of the country when you don’t have to smuggle through Customs at the border?

So everybody get ready, California is getting pimped out and starting to kneel. What else will they get out of her before the economy comes back? I hear there may be good money to be made in a reality show called The Running Man

(HT: Vox)