Arizona, the Gulf Coast and Florida

It may seem like a stretch to link what is happening in Arizona to what is happening on the Gulf Coast, not to mention Florida; but is it? In Arizona they were experiencing a literal flood of illegal immigrants coming across the border. These were not just the hard working immigrants that the media likes to flaunt in front of a camera to get our sympathy; this flood of bodies includes mules for the drug trade, coyotes profiting from human smuggling and who knows what else. In the Gulf of Mexico we have an oil spill going on that is currently affecting the environment of the entire Gulf, at least 4 States and could end up threatening the east coast and possibly our South American neighbors on the West Coast of the Gulf. What might be a little known fact is in Florida there is currently a court battle going on between the State of Florida and the Department of Justice about whether or not Obamacare is a legal mandate or a tax.

In Arizona the response from the general population has been supportive, understanding that the State has to do something to protect its border since the Federal Government has done little to nothing. The Federal Government after pushing from groups like La Raza has gone out of its way to fight against the Arizona law. The really funny thing about this whole deal is that the Arizona law only clarifies what local Law Enforcement can do in accordance with the Federal Law on Immigration. I’ve already spoken about this in another blog. In the Gulf we have what could be the worst disaster this country has ever seen, what has been the response of this administration; to spread the blame around between the last President and the CEO of BP. At the same time he is trying to take credit for being right on top of the situation when in reality nothing is being done. He has refused help from foreign countries and allowed the EPA to get in the way of ideas from individual citizens to major corporations on ways to stop and to clean up this spill. In Florida the State Government filed suit against the Federal Health Care Bill. In response the Department of Justice has files a motion to dismiss the lawsuit based on the Anti-Injunction Act which restricts courts from interfering with the Governments ability to collect taxes. Throughout the entire debate over the Health Care Bill the Administration kept insisting that this was not another tax, it would be a penalty. In the motion to dismiss the DOJ argues that regardless of whether it’s called a penalty or a tax, it’s assessed and collected in the same way by the Internal Revenue System. Seems to me the truth comes out.

Are you still asking how these three separate events have anything to do with each other? In Arizona and Florida the States have done nothing more then exercise their rights per the 10th Amendment. States trying to exercise their sovereignty is taking away the power of the Federal Government and encourages individualism. In the Gulf the Government is trying to run roughshod over a foreign owned company and is using the Coast Guard and EPA to prevent individuals along the coast from using their personal boats, equipment and ideas to protect their shores from the incoming oil. Allowing this type of individualism would once again threaten the power of the Federal Government. This administration, even more then ones in the past, wants to have a choke hold on any type of individualism and wants total control over the States. As long as the States stay under the thumb of the Government and individualism is discouraged, even punished, the Government can do anything they want to do, with our without the consent of the citizens of the country. Is this what they call a free country? I applaud the Governors of Florida and Arizona for taking steps to do what is best for their States, I applaud the citizens of the Gulf Coast for taking initiative, even when blocked by the Federal Government, to try and protect their homes and livelihoods. I applaud the Governor of Louisiana for bypassing the Federal Government and going ahead with the man-made sandbars to help prevent the oil from coming ashore.

There is still more that needs to be done. I fear the only way to take back our country is to take back our States. The 17th Amendment needs to be repealed and the States need to take back the powers they were intended to have when the Founders wrote the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For too many decades the Federal Government has been supporting the States; that is not the way it should be, the States should support the Federal Government, only to the extent of the enumerated powers in the Constitution. Taxation of the individual should be in the hands of the States, not the Federal Government. The Federal Government does have the power to levy taxes as necessary to support the enumerated powers only, these taxes should be taxes that are levied on the States. The current form of taxation we have gives a blank check to the Federal Government; it allows political power to mean more then actual needs and the future of this country. Our current political atmosphere is one of power, not Statesmanship. Changes of this nature and magnitude would mean many Federal programs would cease to exist; many Federal Agencies would have to be disbanded. This would cause a lot of pain for a lot of people; I fear we are in for much more pain if we continue down the course we are on.


Steve Avery
20 June 2010