The boundaries of the 'United States' government is given in the Constitution at Article 1, section 8, paragraph 17:
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;
So the 'United States' is NOT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY as government would have us believe, because it's legal 'jurisdiction' can only extend to Washington D.C.and any military base or port.... so says the legal contract known as the Constitution.
Our country was not ORIGINALLY constructed with the States in a subservient position to the federal government, but an EQUAL and co-existing one.
The ONLY time the federal government had authority over the states was when it remained in it's specific and enumerated powers outlined in the Constitution.
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They are not to do anything they please to provide for the general welfare, but only to lay taxes for that purpose. To consider the latter phrase not as describing the purpose of the first, but as giving a distinct and independent power to do any act they please which may be good for the Union, would render all the preceding and subsequent enumerations of power completely useless. It would reduce the whole instrument to a single phrase, that of instituting a Congress with power to do whatever would be for the good of the United States; and as they sole judges of the good or evil, it would be also a power to do whatever evil they please ... Certainly no such universal power was meant to be given them. It was intended to lace them up straightly within the enumerated powers and those without which, as means, these powers could not be carried into effect.
Thomas Jefferson, Opinion on National Bank, 1791
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The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others.
Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 17, 1782
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"When all government, in little as in great things, shall be drawn to Washington as the Center of all power, it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated."
– Thomas Jefferson
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Most of us here never, in fact, claimed US citizenship.
You haven't? Do you have a social security number? Do you vote? Do you have a driver's license?
If you've EVER checked that little YES box on ANY government form that says: 'Are you a U.S. citizen', then you have indeed claimed U.S. citizenship and created a legal entity subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. government.
And you did it voluntarily!
Exactly right and didn't the SC rule in some case that a "US citizen" has NO rights?
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I believe you are mistaking paragraph 17, w/ paragraph 18. To wit: Article 1, section 8, paragraph 17:
[i] The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
[ii]To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
[iii]To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
[iv]To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
[v]To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
[vi]To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
[vii]To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
[viii]To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
[ix]To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;
[x]To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
[xi]To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
[xii]To provide and maintain a Navy;
[xiii]To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
[xiv]To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
[xv]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;
[xvi]To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And
[vii] 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.
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But regardless, IMHO you have misread this particular paragraph. The wording goes, and the USC give Congress the power, "...To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States..."
This is not b/c the United States is not the entire country. But b/c the District of Columbia was/is not part of any state. Laws, rules, policies, etc. were/are required for D.C. as they are for every place where men gather; but, as D.C. was not part of any state, it was therefor not subject, governed by, liable to the laws of any state. Article 1, Section 8, paragraph 16 addressed this -- making the nation's capital subject to governance to the US Congress.