Michigan Rep. Paul Opsommer introduces more resolutions affirming states’ rights

Michigan Rep. Opsommer’s affirmation of states’ rights is a big step in the right direction is a step in the right direction, but the affirmation of the 10th amendment could be worded more strongly.

“We also urge the federal government to halt its practice of imposing mandates upon the states”

No, we DEMAND it and our police and national guard will not enforce it.

I commend him though.  If all our congress critters had guts like him we wouldn’t be staring down a tyannical, bloated federal government.

From Michigan rep Paul Opsommer:

STATES RIGHT’S UPDATE

Thank you for previously contacting my office regarding the following related resolutions:

HCR 004 (10^th Amendment)

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(32aak0ulp3yshc45w0xy5z45))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=2009-HCR-0004&query=on

HCR 006 (No RFID chips in Drivers Licenses / foreign data sharing)

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(32aak0ulp3yshc45w0xy5z45))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=2009-HCR-0006&query=on

HCR 009 (2^nd Amendment)

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(32aak0ulp3yshc45w0xy5z45))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=2009-HCR-0009&query=on

HCR 014 (No GPS “Gas Tax”)

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(32aak0ulp3yshc45w0xy5z45))/mileg.aspx?page=getobject&objectname=2009-HCR-0014&query=on

· As an update, HCR 004 has yet to get a hearing in the House, but Senator Patterson has introduced SCR 004 in the Senate, where it has a better chance of being heard. I am fully supportive of SCR 004. If passed in the Senate, SCR 004 would be sent to the House.

· HCR 006 had a hearing and has PASSED the Michigan House. It now goes to the Michigan Senate to be voted on there. Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs) have already been issued in Washington State, and may become available in Michigan as early as the end of April.

· HCR 009 and HCR 014 have yet to get a hearing.

I will make sure to pass along any other updates as I get them.

Related News Articles:

http://themorningsun.com/articles/2009/03/29/news/srv0000004996396.txt

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/03/25/edls-on-the-ropes/

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/enhanced+drivers+licences+hold+Civil+liberties+groups/1423044/story.html

George Washington: Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself

“Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the people’s liberty teeth keystone… the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable… more than 99% of them by their silence indicate that they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference. When firearms go, all goes, we need them every hour.”

-George Washington, 1st session of Congress

Please also see: important-2nd-amendment-quotes

A short history lesson on gun control

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

In 1911 Turkey established gun control.
From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves
were rounded up and exterminated.

China established gun control in 1935.
From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend
themselves, were rounded up and exterminated

Guatemala established gun control in 1964.
From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970.
From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, ere rounded up and exterminated.

Cambodia established gun control in 1956.
From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century
because of gun control: 56 million.

It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by their own Government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than
$500 million dollars. The first year results are now in:

List of 7 items: Results of gun control

Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent.

Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent.
Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)!

In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not, and criminals still possess their guns!
While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in
the past 12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.

There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the ELDERLY. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort, and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns. The
Australian experience and the other historical facts above prove it.

You won’t see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note

The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson. With guns, we are ‘citizens’, without them, we are ‘subjects’.

During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

If you value your freedom, please let those that legally own firarms keep them. If you do not like them, don’t own one..

The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in
defense.. The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is
more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental.
SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN! SWITZERLAND’S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE. SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN
RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!
IT’S A NO BRAINER! DON’T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.

Michigan State Rep Opsommer introduces House Resolution affirming 10th amendment rights of states

Rep. Opsommer offered the following concurrent resolution:

House Concurrent Resolution No. 4.

A concurrent resolution to affirm Michigan’s sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and to urge the federal government to halt its practice of imposing mandates upon the states for purposes not enumerated by the Constitution of the United States.

Whereas, The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads as follows: “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”; and

Whereas, The Tenth Amendment defines the total scope of federal power as being that specifically granted by the Constitution of the United States and no more; and

Whereas, The scope of power defined by the Tenth Amendment means that the federal government was created by the states specifically to be an agent of the states; and

Whereas, Today, in 2009, the states are demonstrably treated as agents of the federal government; and

Whereas, Many federal mandates are directly in violation of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States; and

Whereas, The United States Supreme Court has ruled in New York v. United States, 112 S. Ct. 2408 (1992), that Congress may not simply commandeer the legislative and regulatory processes of the states; and

Whereas, A number of proposals from previous administrations and some now pending from the present administration and from Congress may further violate the Constitution of the United States; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we hereby affirm Michigan’s sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States. We also urge the federal government to halt its practice of imposing mandates upon the states for purposes not enumerated by the Constitution of the United States; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

The concurrent resolution was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.