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If Your State is a Mess . . .

Posted on 10/12/2013 4:18:05 AM PDT by Jacquerie

As opposed to what the Left believes, the purpose of government is not to impose social justice.

As often happens, that was forgotten in Scotus’ 1964 Reynolds v. Sims ruling.

Citing a non-existent “one man one vote” principle, eight Warren Court black-robes ruled that state legislative districts must be of approximately equal populations. Through a rogue interpretation of the equal protection clause, these masterminds imposed a democratic republic form of government on all fifty states! Never mind the constitution simply guaranteed a republican form of government, Scotus illegally overruled centuries of wisdom and imposed democracy.

Republics demand consent of the people. Without our consent, no law is legitimate. But, when law making is entirely in the hands of the people or their representatives, the result is a democratic republic, which history has proved to be hostile to minority rights and eventually end in strongman tyranny.

Instead of representation by county, state senates were transformed into mini-assemblies. By this, Scotus gave large metropolitan areas control of both houses of state legislatures. No longer did rural areas have a counterbalancing voice. No longer was the damage done by urban demagogues limited to high density cities. Reynolds guaranteed the states would eventually succumb to the same leveling, social justice forces that have always typified big city government.

From Wiki, Senator Dirksen of Illinois warned that Chicago would come to dominate Springfield. He was right, and due to Reynolds, Illinois is near bankruptcy and losing population as people flee high taxes, higher unemployment, and societal destruction..

By what power did Scotus so easily, and by a large majority, impose breathtaking change on the fundamental structure of state government?

Because of the 17th Amendment, the states were defenseless. Without representation in the US Senate, Scotus black-robes had nothing to fear. Why would popularly elected US Senators oppose the decision? Some, like Dirksen did. But in the aggregate, popularly elected US Senators were not going to risk criticism for opposing the lofty ideal of “one man one vote.” The media would ask, “How could anyone be against democracy? How can anyone oppose the right of the people to elect state Senators?”

So, when you look around your state and cringe at rising taxation and read of rural county secessionist movements, take the time to consider the long chain of events that brought these situations about. It all began with the 17th Amendment, and cannot end until a convention of the states votes to repeal it.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; FReeper Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: 17th; constitution; statesrights

1 posted on 10/12/2013 4:18:05 AM PDT by Jacquerie
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To: Jacquerie

So where do you go when the Supreme Court is unconstitutional?


2 posted on 10/12/2013 4:20:01 AM PDT by txrefugee
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To: Jacquerie

I live in Maryland.. it’s a given the state’s a mess.


3 posted on 10/12/2013 4:31:05 AM PDT by maddog55
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To: txrefugee
Begin the process of restoring federalism. That can only happen through an amendment convention of the states.

Among Mark Levin's solutions is to grant three fifths of the state legislatures the power to overturn Scotus decisions.

It took a hundred years to stand where we are, on the cusp of despotism. It may be too late, but it is worth the effort.

4 posted on 10/12/2013 4:40:45 AM PDT by Jacquerie (An Article V amendment convention is our only hope.)
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To: txrefugee
So where do you go when the Supreme Court is unconstitutional?

I think you have to start interpreting the Constitution as written yourself. One example of that is that the Supreme Court has a nice name, but it's only "supreme" over other Federal courts. In our government, it's just another co-equal branch, along with the Congress and Presidency—which are interpreters of the Constitution with the same standing as SCOTUS.

That's why Congress has the power to impeach and convict justices of that Court. And in practice, they've set themselves the bar way too high for that. Failing to uphold your oath of office by over-reaching your powers or acting against the plain meaning of the USC is plenty.

And by the way, it says nowhere in the USC who is the ultimate interpreter of the document—and that's because the People, using plain language, are the ultimate interpreters. It begins "We, the People . . ." rather than "We the Supreme Court . . ." or "We the President . . ." or even "We the angry nerds who were unpopular in high school, and therefore went to law school. . ." (No offense to patriotic lawyers.)

I never understood my father fulminating against the absurdity of "one-man, one-vote" back when that decision came out. Thanks to this excellent vanity post, I get it. If we need to up-end Reynolds, the 17th Amendment, and also the 16th, to take back the last, best hope of mankind, then let's get 'er done.

5 posted on 10/12/2013 4:50:54 AM PDT by SamuraiScot
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To: Jacquerie

I live in Alabama. Beautiful beaches and great football, but we have more people on welfare than those of us employed, an archaic state constitution, dramatically bad public education, overcrowded prisons, significant population with drug/alcohol problems, human trafficking, gangs, illegal aliens, racial prejudice (by all groups—white, black, etc), poor economic base, poor tax structure, etc. Things will only get worse...


6 posted on 10/12/2013 5:10:03 AM PDT by sassy steel magnolia
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To: sassy steel magnolia

All states have similar problems.

Last June, I wrote my state representative about a convention of the states.

He responded and asked when it would be convenient for me to have a chat.

We got together for about an hour. He was aware of a growing grass roots movement to reassert state sovereignty and thanked me.

Now, I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday. I don’t imagine anything will happen soon. But, great things begin with great ideas.


7 posted on 10/12/2013 5:22:44 AM PDT by Jacquerie (An Article V amendment convention is our only hope.)
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To: SamuraiScot
So true. Our Framers thought Presidents and judges would be in the habit of looking over their shoulders and wonder if they risked impeachment. A few black-robe political scalps per year would do wonders.

As for reform, the people clearly oppose Obamacare.

What could be politically safer than to vote to defund it?

When I consider how the pubbies are likely to fold under rat and media pressure and give way to the forces of evil, it is silly to think reform can possibly emerge from Washington DC.

It is up to us, through our states, to save what little remains of our republic.

8 posted on 10/12/2013 5:32:10 AM PDT by Jacquerie (An Article V amendment convention is our only hope.)
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To: txrefugee

The same place you go when the Dept. OF justice is Corrupt and Their boss as well,no where


9 posted on 10/12/2013 5:41:06 AM PDT by ballplayer
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To: Jacquerie
Last June, I wrote my state representative about a convention of the states. He responded and asked when it would be convenient for me to have a chat. We got together for about an hour.

Sounds like the governor of my state... We usually meet for a few hours, throw back a couple of beers, maybe play a game of billiards or two, and enjoy an intimate chat about politics. Sometimes the U.N. Secretary-General, the Prime Minister of a medium-sized European country, or a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will stop by at the same time, and we'll switch to pitching horseshoes.

Glad to hear that your state representative is equally accessible. If only all of our elected representatives were so accommodating...

Regards,

10 posted on 10/12/2013 6:35:44 AM PDT by alexander_busek (Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.)
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