ShootSpeeders
Gold Member
- May 13, 2012
- 20,232
- 2,368
1. Most importantly we have the tenth amendment which says a power not given to the feds belongs to the states or the people.
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
2. The electoral college. People wonder why it exists - why don't we just vote directly for the president. It's because the states are independent countries. In a presidential election you vote for your electors who go to washington and choose the prez. Even presidential elections are done at the state level.
3.The amending process as outlined in Article 5 of the constitution. It says the states have final say on any proposed amendment. Congress can vote yes on the proposed amendment but THEN it goes to the states and 3/4 of them must ratify it.
4. The Supremacy Clause in Article 6 of the constitution.
"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."
The key thing here is the phrase "made in pursuance thereof". Only constitutional federal laws are above state laws. Who decides whether a law is constitutional? The constitution doesn't say which means by the tenth amendment, the states have the authority to nullify federal laws. It makes no sense anyway to let the feds decide the constitutionality of their own laws as they will and do rubber-stamp everything.
----
When america was founded and for the first 70 years of it's existence, it was like the European Union is now - a loose confederation of independent countries. France and italy and spain are still sovereign nations and so are Indiana and Maine.
"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
2. The electoral college. People wonder why it exists - why don't we just vote directly for the president. It's because the states are independent countries. In a presidential election you vote for your electors who go to washington and choose the prez. Even presidential elections are done at the state level.
3.The amending process as outlined in Article 5 of the constitution. It says the states have final say on any proposed amendment. Congress can vote yes on the proposed amendment but THEN it goes to the states and 3/4 of them must ratify it.
4. The Supremacy Clause in Article 6 of the constitution.
"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."
The key thing here is the phrase "made in pursuance thereof". Only constitutional federal laws are above state laws. Who decides whether a law is constitutional? The constitution doesn't say which means by the tenth amendment, the states have the authority to nullify federal laws. It makes no sense anyway to let the feds decide the constitutionality of their own laws as they will and do rubber-stamp everything.
----
When america was founded and for the first 70 years of it's existence, it was like the European Union is now - a loose confederation of independent countries. France and italy and spain are still sovereign nations and so are Indiana and Maine.
