Anti-federal bills move forward in Montana House

[Sindawe]

They're poking the federal bear in the eye. Well, good, he needs poking. But he's a bear.

What caliber is best for bear?

 

[Cortland]

Those all seem quite obviously true to me. The Court has said that the 10th amendment is merely a truism, and they'll shoot down the rest of the arguments as well if they want to do so.

Well, if you look at the Constitution as a contract, when it took effect in 1789 the Supreme Court had no power of judicial review. George Washington set the brief precedent of signing every law that Congress sent his way with the policy of vetoing only those laws which he felt were unconstitutional. Of course nowadays the drill is to do whatever the heck you like and hope the SC gives you the thumbs up. Anyway, the point is that the entire concept of judicial review in the U.S. was incestously created by the Supreme Court itself in 1803. As specified constitutionally, the Supreme Court is a very weak body. Sadly that's not the case today, but it needn't necessarily be so -- even in the absence of strife. As Andrew Jackson famously said, "The Supreme Court has made its decision. Now let them enforce it." Better yet, as the justices die off --- don't fill the vacancies! We've all heard of FDR's attempt at court packing, how about some court unpacking?

Another interesting tidbit involves the Confederate Supreme Court -- there was none. The Confederate Constitution provided for one, but the Congress refused to permanently establish one. Their experience with the U.S. Supreme Court led them to let the Supreme Courts of the several states decide the constitutionality of both state AND Confederate law (in effect giving the greenlight to nullification, if only judicially).

What caliber is best for bear?

.58 caliber Minie ball

 

[TallPine]

and no real summers though

Yeah, it only gets up to about 110 F around here, though the average july/august high is more like 90 to 95.


Back on topic, this whole thing could get interesting if it passes and somebody tests it out.

To my knowledge, the feds have no jail facilities in MT, but contract with local/state jails instead. At least I know that they contract with one of the same private prisons as the state for some federal prisoners.

So ... suppose the feds arrest someone for making a gun in MT and consign him/her to the local hoosegow - which promptly releases him/her on account of no crime was committed Or maybe just take the accused into state "protective custody" ...? How the feds gonna get 'em back ?????????

The big question is how long it will be till the emperor in DC sends in troops to put down the "insurgents". If you think opinion on the Iraq war is divided, wait until they start shooting at Americans

 

[2nd Amendment]

The most likely reprisal would not be troops. It will be witholding federal funds. This is the reality behind all those fed programs states can "opt out of". Sure they can...and lose the almighty dollars. Same thing here most likely, the effectiveness of which depends on whether Montana will step and say, OK, keep it.

If they do that I frankly figure the FedGov will be at something of a loss on what to do.

 

[publius]

If your two tools are a carrot and a stick, and the carrot doesn't work, what do you do?

 

[TallPine]

As far as this old "with-holding federal funds" thing goes, I wish people here in MT could see straight on this issue.

One of the reasons a western state like MT gets so much federal money, is that the feral govt owns so much of the property here: national forests, parks, and BLM land. If that land was private and the owners paying taxes, the fed money wouldn't look so good. Or better yet, if those public lands were state managed, then the state could be getting the mineral, grazing, and timber revenue from it. The state could manage those lands a lot better than the feds, IMO.

And hiway money ... well, the interstate system was conceived by Ike for purposes of moving troops and war supplies across country. So... let them withhold "their" money and let the interstates run down

Plus those missle silos: more expensive facilities upon which no property tax is being paid

This isn't very popular, because I know a lot of ranchers who get a lot of federal money (CRP and other stuff) but I also know some who have never taken a dime since they homesteaded the land, and are proud of it. The funny thing is that those independent folks are actually better off financially -as in they own their place free and clear and have no debt. They know what works and what doesn't, and they do what works instead of what doesn't. They may drive older cars and pickups, and their equipment has a little gray hair, but they own everything they have, and have some money in the bank besides.

I'm not saying it won't get worse before it gets better, because it certainly would (heck, it might even get worse before it gets worse). Kind of like moving out of your parents' house and out on your own.

We either have to take a stand and stick with it, or get used to being told what to do by Komrades Bush, and Clinton, and Bush, and Clinton .....

 

[Dead]

hmm sounds interesting... If they pass I might have to move...