1861 IS KNOCKING AT OUR DOOR AS HISTORY GOES IN CIRCLES

"Virginia's Democratic-controlled state Senate passed measures Monday that would make it illegal to require individuals to purchase health insurance, a direct challenge to the party's efforts in Washington to reform health care."

Washington Post

I think that it's great that Virginia has decided to try to enforce the Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution. But how far are they willing to go? Will they call out the State Guard to defend their citizens when the Feds send troops to enforce the law as they see fit? Or will the state just roll over and tell the Fed, "So sorry, we didn't really mean it."

Virginia and the other states including Missouri that are passing or attempting to pass legislation of this sort either need to prepare to take a stand or else stop going down this road. If the Fed succeeds in bullying the states into accepting healthcare against their will then the Feds will have succeeded in nullifying, once and for all, the Tenth Amendment.

However, if the states stand up, refusing Federal interference inside their borders, they will spark a Constitutional crisis. I say they need to stand up but they must realize what this means.

Looking back in history I can think of two very similar situations. One was the South Carolina Nullification Act of 1832. This centered around the issue of Federal tariffs and their enforcement inside the boundaries of a sovereign state. War between South Carolina and the Federal Government was narrowly avoided when the Fed backed down after the state called up troops and signaled its willingness to fight over the issue.

The second time was also in South Carolina. After it seceded from The US, again over the issue of tariffs, South Carolina entered into negotiations to remove Federal troops from Fort Sumter. Lincoln purposefully sent ships across South Carolinas border to resupply the fort in an attempt to spark conflict. He succeeded and we all know how that turned out.

I support the states and their efforts to return the Tenth Amendment to the prominence it was intended to have. However, I've talked to my local representative about this issue and I don't think he understands the stakes. He is a strong supporter of states rights and is sponsoring legislation similar to Virginia's. He also thinks that I exaggerate the risk. He is blind to history and the threat to Federal power that this sort of legislation represents. There is more money than I can imagine at stake in the battle over states rights. Power and money go hand in hand and neither are relinquished without a fight.

So, as the states move forward in their bid for sovereignty I hope they run up the Bonny Blue Flag and stock up the armories. If they don't they will be signalling a complete lack of serious intent and will be swallowed up once and for all by those that covet power and control.

The times that try mens souls are coming; prepare for the fight!