Speech before the State House supporting passage of HCR-69

Prior to the Tea Party demonstrations across our nation I have not heard of a ‘Tea Party’ since grammar school and the last one held in the U.S. was well over 200 years ago.

Resolution HCR 69 and the Tea Parties seen this past April around the state and nation could actually go hand in hand.  In different, but similar ways both address our federal governments excessive federal spending, an increasingly burdensome tax code, as well as meddling into our personal and professional lives at unprecedented levels.  For many Mississippians they’ve had enough and they are looking to us for a solution.

Simply stated this Resolution is about the 10th amendment to the US Constitution where it states –

“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.”

Congress’s most important role granted by the constitution is to protect the rights and safety of its people, most notably by providing national security.  However, they have interpreted their responsibility well beyond the intent of our founding fathers and find themselves treading deep into the powers granted to this legislative body.  They seem to be making it up as they go.

Some in our very own Congressional delegation has tried to limit the size of government, but they need our help because it is now out of control.

The federal government is growing unchecked as seen by this current administrations actions as well as prior administrations.  As a country we are governed by a written constitution that grants the people and the states the right to keep government in line and that we cannot be forced to accept an oppressive and intrusive federal government.

The Constitution was well designed, and checks and balances are in place to prevent this through the various amendments, but if they are not adhered to and enforced then the Constitution is dead.

Resolutions of this nature are currently being considered in over 30 states and many are garnering strong bi-partisan support. Some have passed and others will be passed.

Mississippi’s resolution was drafted with the aid of my colleagues in the house and our legal counsel.  It was designed to reflect the diverse nature of this membership and not to be inflammatory or too demanding.  This resolution is designed to reinforce the principle of limited government that protects us from an ever expanding federal government.

We have seen the federal government continuing to encroach into our every day lives from dictating how we teach or children, funding federal initiatives that many believe to be immoral, over regulating and taxing our citizenry, meddling in our personal lives and interfering with the affairs of our State.

Mississippians and our fellow Americans have made it very clear on April 15th that we are not willing to let our government dictate every aspect of their lives from a fact made very clear by the thousands who turned out to protest the government.

The federal government has proven, time and time again, they can’t manage their own affairs so why we would we let them manage our companies, our schools, our businesses and our families.

I’m asking this House on behalf of many Mississippians to reaffirm our rights as a sovereign and unique state to prevent the federal government from continuing to grow unchecked and illegally assuming powers reserved by the Mississippi legislature.

Let us pass this resolution, send to the Senate for concurrence and then send a clear message to Congress and the President.

Steven Palazzo is a member of the Mississippi State House of Representatives.  He was first elected in 2007.  You can contact him here.

From the Associated Press report:

Mississippi lawmakers haven’t finished a budget, but they spent hours Thursday debating resolutions to support part of the U.S. Constitution that was long ago ratified and is in no danger of being repealed.

The 10th Amendment says powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved for states.

Supporters said the resolutions make a statement that the federal government is overstepping its authority on a wide range of issues, from regulating businesses to passing a multibillion-dollar stimulus package.

The House adopted its resolution on a vote of 80-30 after two hours of debate – and it was altered to specify that the resolution shouldn’t be interpreted as an official stance against voting rights. The Senate adopted its own resolution, 25-18, after about an hour and a half. The sponsors of the Mississippi resolutions were Republicans or conservative Democrats.

Full text of the amended House resolution to be posted shortly…

UPDATE 05-08-09: From State Rep Steven Palazzo – a “Motion to Reconsider” the House resolution was entered today, and will require another vote to approve.

UPDATE 05-08-09: A “Motion to Reconsider” the Senate resolution was also entered, but tabled by the Senate.  The Resolution will be transmitted to the House.