Is it just me or does it seem like you have heard the Constitution mentioned more in the last several months then in the last 20 years? In light of the  current political climate in America I think this is both fitting and highly appropriate.  For far too long the Constitution has been shoved to the side and trampled on by all parts of our governmental system.  It is about time it was once more the focus of discussion.

Along with this talk of the Constitution you will invariably hear discussion about States Rights or sovereignty. In fact there are groups who are focusing on the Tenth Amendment.  This in my mind is a step in the right direction but long overdue.

In Missouri, for example, I serve on the Executive Committee of a movement called the Missouri Sovereignty Project. The stated mission of the Project is:

To “institutionalize” the U.S. Constitution’s 10th Amendment into Missouri’s populist and political fabrics so her citizens and legislators can work together to render ineffective, by legitimate means, any law enacted by the federal government that violates or suppresses any Missourian’s “…unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness.”

As you know Missouri is considered a bell-weather state when it comes to national politics. The supporters of the Missouri Sovereignty Project believe we have a favorable climate within our State Legislature that will allow us to pass legislation to start the process of restoring States Sovereignty.  Since we are a bell-weather state it is our belief we can take the lead and set an example for the other 49 States which will set in motion the process of restoring our Constitutional Republic.

One act which the Project in Missouri believes caused an encroachment on the  authority of the sovereign States  by the federal government is the Seventeenth Amendment which was ratified on April 8, 1913. Up until that time the United States Senate was to be composed of two Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature thereof,].  In fact the founding fathers believed this to be another check against schemes to Centralize power in the hands of the federal government. Under the original system they believed the Senators first loyalties would be to the State they represented.

The Missouri Sovereignty Project believes the senators should be held accountable for their actions by the State Legislature. In fact they have adopted the following statement in this regard:

Require both Senators to appear annually before both a state House and Senate committee (preferably the 10th Amendment committee) to explain publicly their positions on all federal legislation that strengthens or weakens the principles of the 10th Amendment.  A “no-confidence” vote could ensue from either committee and proceed to the floors.

In order to accomplish this, they are attempting to get legislation passed which would establish a State Senate and House committee whose charge is to defend the principles of the 10th Amendment on behalf of all Missourians from all federal legislation. In the next few weeks members of the legislature will be approached in an attempt to have these measures filed before the 2010 legislative session.

I fully support these  efforts. They steps in the right direction to bringing the federal government into check and restoring States Sovereignty. For more information on the Project you can go to:

http://www.missourisovereigntyproject.com

It is time to stress the importance of the rights and protections to be exercised by the several sovereign States  afforded to these United States of America under the Tenth Amendment. In the Declaration of Independence the founders declared:

“But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to9 provide new Guards for their future Security.”

For nearly one hundred years, there has been a long train of abuses by the federal government. It is time the State governments stood on behalf of the people to restore the Constitution and then to provide for new Guards for our future security. I believe the Missouri Sovereignty Project is a step in the right direction to make this happen.