Tenth Amendment Center

Following the rules.

We’re all asked (well…told, actually) that we need to do this each and every day.

The federal government tells us what to do more often that we even pay attention to.  We’re told that we need to give them money, we need to submit to patdowns at airports, we need to allow them to read our emails, and on and on and on.

Remember, we’re not asked.  We’re not asked if we want them to do these things and we’re not asked to comply.  We’re told.  And if we don’t comply, they’ll start pulling out the guns pretty quickly.

But doesn’t this make us second-class citizens? Read more »

Back in ‘99, even George Bush himself was calling for an end to the war on medical marijuana users. It’s not something that’s pointed out too often these days, and thanks to Anthony Gregory at LewRockwell.com, we can all read these statements from Bush himself. Read more »

As all major politicians move more and more towards centralization as the solution to virtually every problem in this country, there’s no greater need to start looking back to America’s founding principles of state sovereignty, argues Clay Barham at PopulistAmerica.com Read more »

Guest Commentary from VirginiaConservative

(or I don’t care how they do things in Massachusetts).

Ask someone what is the most important amendment to the constitution.  If he were a liberal, he would likely answer “the right to free speech”, the 1st.   If he were a conservative, he would likely answer “the right to keep and bear arms”, the 2nd.

Although all amendments are important (or at least those found in the Bill of Rights), I have another suggestion.  For those who fear the encroachment of an ever-expanding national government, might I recommend the 10th?  Read more »

On a daily basis, the federal government oversteps its authority - it’s domestic and foreign policies are almost entirely filled with activities that the founding fathers would’ve resisted to the death.But yet, we just sit and watch. Read more »

John McCain is developing a bad case of selective respect.  For the Constitution, that is.

Recently, he called upon the principle of States Rights in advocating drilling for oil off the coasts of California and Florida.

But, isn’t he violating this principle at the same time he’s invoking it? Read more »

The State of California’s recent decision to start allowing gay marriages has caused an uproar, of sorts, in some corners.

These people are concerned about their values, their traditions, their lifestyle and their beliefs.  So, many of them are calling on the federal government to “step in” and fix this “problem.”

One thing that these people are definitely NOT concerned with, though, is the US Constitution. Read more »

As usual, this election season, the Presidential candidates are telling us how they’ll make life better for you.  They’ll improve the economy, help your investments, protect you from harm, help you get a raise, ensure that you’ll keep your home, and much, much more.

The problem, of course, is that most of what these candidates talk about doing is simply not authorized by the Constitution. Read more »

Regular readers of this site recognize that the 10th amendment is forgotten (or ignored) in US government far more often then it’s invoked.

That’s why the Tenth Amendment Center applauds the Oklahoma State House of Representatives, who recently declared “sovereignty” under the principles of the 10th. Read more »

by Rep Ron Paul

What is the importance of the war in Iraq  relative to other current issues?  This is a question I am often asked, especially as Americans continue to become increasingly aware that something is very wrong with the economy.   The difficulty with the way the question is often asked relates to the perception that we are somehow able to divide such issues, or to isolate the cost of war into arbitrarily defined areas such as national security or international relations.

War is an all-encompassing governmental activity.  The impact of war on our ability to defend ourselves from future attack, and upon America ’s standing in the world, is only a mere fraction of the total overall effect that war has on our nation and the policies of its government. Read more »