While watching the latest edition of 'The Southern Avenger', which addressed the justification for nullification from a Jeffersonian perspective, I had an interesting idea: What if we didn't just nullify, but ordered to recall our representation to the US Senate and Congress?
Now, there was a time prior to the 17th amendment, when the Senators were the representation of the States, and were elected by the state's legislature. Unfortunately the 17th amendment reduced state's sovereignty and representation in the federal government by making them nothing more than long-term congressmen... However, it seems to me that history has proven this an effective strategy at curtailing powers overreached by the federal government.
It seems to me that under the 9th and 10th amendments, the states retain the rights to recall their federally elected officials. Furthermore, 18 states ( Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin) currently maintain law in accordance with the recall of federally elected officials. Be it by the will of the people or the power of the government, one could then assume that all states DO, in fact, retain the rights to recall their elected federal officials.
Now - grounds for recall? Supporting the unconstitutional bill of national healthcare, backroom dealings, etc that are evidence of corruption and gross misconduct while holding the People's Seats!
Any thoughts?
(here is the latest from the Southern Avenger)
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ReplyDeleteI think Alaska's junior senator, who gained office only because of the now-fraudulent conviction of Sen. Ted Stevens, is a candidate ripe for recall - he has voted with Harry Reid on every significant issue since taking office a year ago.
ReplyDeleteThe Ted Stevens case was interesting, considering that AFTER the election all charges were dropped and found to be unfounded, if I recall correctly... Talk about a crime against the people! Where is the representation in THAT?
ReplyDeleteAbsolute grounds for a recall!
If non-representing representatives want to ignore their constituents, the people have every right to change their minds about who represent them. I am all for the recalls.
ReplyDeleteThe Southern Avenger Rocks.
ReplyDeleteAnd check this out: Utah governor signs bills to seize Federal land:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-utah-eminent-domain29-2010mar29,0,1717770.story
Steve -
ReplyDeleteStevens was indicted because prosecutors - knowing that evidence existed that jived with Stevens' story and time line - intentionally brought up charges. Think about that. They saw evidence that showed that Stevens didn't commit a crime, but decided to go after him anyway - and THAT is the real story of this affair.
They asserted that Senator Stevens had renovations done on his home at the expense of oil producers. Senator Stevens provided documentation which showed that he had reimbursed them in the amount of what was considered "Fair Market" value. Early on into the investigation, a prosecution witness told them that Stevens was never sent a bill, despite his repeated requests for one. That tidbit was never made available to Steven's defense and subsequently, jurors were never made aware of his testimony. All throughout the trial, Stevens and his attorneys kept insisting that they be allowed to pursue certain avenues of defense, but were denied. They finally succeeded in getting the judge to order the prosecution to reveal certain information - information that they subsequently kept refusing to give. Once they handed it over out of fear of being held in contempt of court, Stevens contention that the prosecution was holding out on the court turned out to be spot on.
Some have suggested that Stevens was intentionally set up for a mistrial by "The 'BUSH' Justice Department", except they overlook two very salient points:
1) Both Bill Welch and Brenda Morris, the lead prosecutors in this case - are both lifelong democrats.
2) Both have been in career positions at the Justice Department since the 90's, before President Bush was ever elected.
This entire fiasco was conducted because democrats - salivating over the thought of a filibuster-proof majority - needed to attack Stevens through the courts to help out their democrat candidate in a very close election. Even after conviction, Steven lost only by a few thousand votes.
So...all things being equal, Ted Stevens would never have been brought up on charges, let alone indicted - if he were a democrat Senator, because these career democrat prosecutors would never have engaged in such criminal malfeasance otherwise.
Great post. I know that there is a movement to recall Herb Kohl here in Wisconsin. There was also a recall movement to recall the governor, however establishment Republicans in the state, at least within my county party, actively worked to stop it believing it would hurt their chances to win the open seat election this year. I am really getting weary of the establishment's demand for the status quo.
ReplyDeleteI also think there was something criminal in what happened in the last Alaskan race. Thanks for reminding us Rev. Paul.