A short history from a conservative perspective---
At the time of the American Revolution and our country's early history, most citizens held their allegiance first and foremost to their respective states, that is the former colonies. These were a widely diverse group ranging from slave holding states to those where commercial interests were well established or religious groups were predominant.
The colonies were loosely organized during the revolutionary war and through 1988 under the so called "Articles of Confederation". But it was apparent that it was ineffective if only for the reason that it could not impose direct taxes on the country's citizens but relied on state legislatures to provide their funds (or it had to borrow the money).
The debate to approve a new constitution was acrimonious. Citizens remained suspicious of centralized government after a hard fought battle to win their freedom from a despotic king. The Constitution was only ratified after numerous assurances that its functions would be limited to those specified in the document. The first ten amendments ("The Bill of Rights") were put in at the insistence of the States in order to insure that state authority and individual sovereignty would remain paramount.
That started to change in the last half of the 19th century. As a result of the Civil War and the subsequent constitutional amendments to guaranty individual freedoms, it was the federal government that was seen as the primary protector of the people's rights, not the states. This process continued throughout the 20th century as a result of the Depression with its New Deal and later in the 1960's with President Johnson's Great Society programs.
It is now in the 21st century that we realize the dangers of government power that goes too far. The current expansions of federal authority are beyond those granted by the people in the Constitution and its amendments. It is impossible to justify such mandates as requiring individuals to buy health insurance, to dictate local education policies or to interfere in the free markets without a perverse twisting of the Constitution's words and meaning. The federal government is now viewed by many not as a defender of individual liberty but as its antagonist. It's as if the Constitution were turned on its head.
It is time to return to the sound constitutional principle of limited and specified powers. A freedom loving people cannot and should not accept anything less. The future of the Republic as we know it is at stake.
At the time of the American Revolution and our country's early history, most citizens held their allegiance first and foremost to their respective states, that is the former colonies. These were a widely diverse group ranging from slave holding states to those where commercial interests were well established or religious groups were predominant.
The colonies were loosely organized during the revolutionary war and through 1988 under the so called "Articles of Confederation". But it was apparent that it was ineffective if only for the reason that it could not impose direct taxes on the country's citizens but relied on state legislatures to provide their funds (or it had to borrow the money).
The debate to approve a new constitution was acrimonious. Citizens remained suspicious of centralized government after a hard fought battle to win their freedom from a despotic king. The Constitution was only ratified after numerous assurances that its functions would be limited to those specified in the document. The first ten amendments ("The Bill of Rights") were put in at the insistence of the States in order to insure that state authority and individual sovereignty would remain paramount.
That started to change in the last half of the 19th century. As a result of the Civil War and the subsequent constitutional amendments to guaranty individual freedoms, it was the federal government that was seen as the primary protector of the people's rights, not the states. This process continued throughout the 20th century as a result of the Depression with its New Deal and later in the 1960's with President Johnson's Great Society programs.
It is now in the 21st century that we realize the dangers of government power that goes too far. The current expansions of federal authority are beyond those granted by the people in the Constitution and its amendments. It is impossible to justify such mandates as requiring individuals to buy health insurance, to dictate local education policies or to interfere in the free markets without a perverse twisting of the Constitution's words and meaning. The federal government is now viewed by many not as a defender of individual liberty but as its antagonist. It's as if the Constitution were turned on its head.
It is time to return to the sound constitutional principle of limited and specified powers. A freedom loving people cannot and should not accept anything less. The future of the Republic as we know it is at stake.
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