Michelle Malkin » Sovereignty and sanity: Saying no to porkulus

Sovereignty and sanity: Saying no to porkulus

By Michelle Malkin • March 4, 2009 11:21 AM

This is definitely in line with the “Going Galt” and Tea Party protests: A local government registers its protest against the porkulus funds.

Just say no:

Liberty Twp. Trustees said Tuesday, March 3, they philosophically disagree with the federal stimulus bill approved late last month.

As a result of their protest, a majority of trustees voted against township officials moving forward to start the process of applying for a portion of the $787 billion bill.

Receiving the money would have been a long shot anyway, said Trustee President Patrick Hiltman, who joined Trustee David Kern in issuing the dissenting votes. But township administrators say two local projects totaling approximately $6.5 million — a new firehouse and a new administration building — could have qualified for the federal funds.

“It’s not a stimulus bill, it’s a strangulation bill,” Kern said. “It’s like playing with Monopoly money…

…Trustees said they disagreed with several aspects of the stimulus package, including the rapid three-day turnaround at the federal level and uncertainty about project timing and cost.

They also said there were too many strings attached.

“I know that we’re going to have to pay the piper at some point,” said Hiltman, who was the deciding vote. “There’s no free lunch.”

On a related note, the 10th amendment sovereignty movement is gaining steam:

Last week, HUMAN EVENTS reported that eleven states, Washington, New Hampshire, Arizona, Montana, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas, had all “all introduced bills and resolutions” declaring their sovereignty over Obama’s actions in light of the 10th Amendment.

These actions are in response to the Obama administration’s faux-“stimulus” legislation which directly assaults the rights of states to reject the money coming from the federal government. So far, several Republican governors — among them South Carolina’s Mark Sanford and Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal — have said they would refuse all or part of the stimulus money because of the constitutional infringements and because of the additional unfunded liabilities they impose on the states.

This week, HUMAN EVENTS is happy to report that five more states have decided to invoke the 10th as well.

These five — Tennessee, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, and West Virginia — have all begun their action under the 10th Amendment in a bid to protect themselves from what they view as nothing less than an unconstitutional usurpation of power on the part of the Obama administration.

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Comments

#1

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:31 am, sonofdy said:

16 out of 50. What is wrong with the other 34?
#2

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:36 am, happy2behere said:

This is the first I have heard of the 10th Ammendment Sovereignty Movement. The legal issues are intriguing.
#3

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:40 am, WarTip said:

Wow! Given the circumstances among we the people, and now politicians getting on board with us too? Maybe there is hope yet … at least to prevent a complete slide over the cliff and into the depths of socialist he; … “utopia”.

Nice to hear the good news as well! Thanks!
#4

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:43 am, WarTip said:

The Constitution can still be opposed by the SCOTUS but with enough outrage, perhaps they would be a bit less inclined to turn to International Law to attempt to “interpret” the meaning of our Founding Fathers this time. Every silver cloud has a lining but this is still great news and at least a glimmer of hope.

PS Sorry about the double post but the SCOTUS did not cross my mind for a moment … then I realized we really are still dealing with politicians.
#5

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:45 am, granite said:

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:40 am, WarTip said:

Maybe there is hope yet … at least to prevent a complete slide over the cliff and into the depths of socialist he; … “utopia”.

That would be close enough.
Utopia literally means “nowhere”.
#6

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:46 am, Stillwaiting said:

It’s great to see politicians who 1) have principles; 2) won’t roll over on them in exchange for $$$$; and 3) actually take action to defend their principles. Wow!
#7

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:47 am, granite said:

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:45 am, granite said:

OK.
I should say, utopia literally means “no place“.
#8

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:59 am, RedDog said:

Impeach the marxist Sock Puppet In Chief now!
#9

On March 4th, 2009 at 12:00 pm, walterc said:

sonofdy said:

16 out of 50. What is wrong with the other 34?

Well some have Democrat governors (such as Wyoming although he’s having trouble witht he unemployment part), and some have overwhelming liberal legislatures (Mass. comes to mind) and California is, well California.
#10

On March 4th, 2009 at 12:01 pm, TXGator said:

Getting the stimulus must feel like the Godfather making an offer you can’t refuse.
The time for payback will soon be at hand.
#11

On March 4th, 2009 at 12:03 pm, cheapseat said:

all any governor has to look at to see the template for this mess is compare your states medicare/medicaid liability. that too was a pig in a poke unfunded federal mandate sold as a stimulus government handout to the unwary and greedy governors years back. now they are strangling on these debts. right arnold?
#12

On March 4th, 2009 at 12:08 pm, b-cat said:

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:31 am, sonofdy said:
16 out of 50. What is wrong with the other 34?

Virginia’s gov, Tim Kaine, is a complete Obama toady. On second thought, that’s too kind. He’s a toad.
#13

On March 4th, 2009 at 12:33 pm, dan708 said:

Good to see, but I’m not holding my breath waiting for PA Gov. Ed “Big Machine” Rendell to reject this money. This so-called “Battleground State” is no such thing; the Dems have already won.
#14

On March 4th, 2009 at 12:45 pm, rooster said:

How much longer will it be that our “Kenyan Bastard in Chief” is allowed to hide his actual Birth Certificate?
We are almost at a point where this country may not recover from this illegal Kenyan Bastard in Chief’s agenda.
#15

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:07 pm, The_Livewire said:

Interesting that the article says ‘Republican Governours’ Isn’t the guy in TN who was rejecting it a Democrat?

Just don’t want this to be broken down into ‘evil Republicans vs President Obama’ mem.
#16

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:07 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

Getting rid of pork the lgm way:

There is NO pork in the bill.

See how easy that is?
#17

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:19 pm, John Deaux said:

Florida’s Charlie Crist would sell out to the Shining Path if it meant a few dollars to the state’s coffers.

Funny thing is that his name has been bandied about as a future presidential candidate.
#18

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:24 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:19 pm, John Deaux said:
Funny thing is that his name has been bandied about as a future presidential candidate.

Democrat ticket I hope!

I will NOT vote for him – EVER.
#19

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:25 pm, nail49 said:

utopia literally means “no place“.

But, but, The One promised us we were all going to soon be in Shagri-La!
#20

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:29 pm, nail49 said:

Shagri-La!

Lest you think I want to be taken somewhere to get “shagged,” I really meant to type “Shangri-La.”

Of course, maybe it was a Freudian slip given where we are getting taken…
#21

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:31 pm, granite said:

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:25 pm, nail49 said:

But, but,But, but, The One promised us we were all going to soon be in Shagri-La!

Good point!

Interesting that the book and movie (which btw was on several days ago), about Shangri-La are titled “Lost Horizon”.

Lost rather does sort of describe the current situation of our nation, politics, government, economy, society, culture, etc…no?
#22

On March 4th, 2009 at 1:34 pm, MBuck said:

I just want to know when we SERIOUSLY start moving forward with a secession movement.
#23

On March 4th, 2009 at 2:37 pm, richardbo said:

The more we focus on this mess the better. As more people of political integrity(pardon the oxymoron) speak up, the more others will become aware of the destruction of our nation that is in progress.
#24

On March 4th, 2009 at 4:14 pm, harbormaster said:

On March 4th, 2009 at 11:31 am, sonofdy said:
16 out of 50. What is wrong with the other 34?

Wisconsin is also run by the left. The motto of our capital city, Madison, is:
“We’re like Berkeley, but with bad weather.”
#25

On March 4th, 2009 at 4:26 pm, docflash said:

If we don’t stand up and fight the whole country is going to be like Detroit.
#26

On March 4th, 2009 at 5:55 pm, plymouthacclaim said:

Let’s not forget the 9th amendment either:

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
#27

On March 4th, 2009 at 5:58 pm, Mach1Duck said:

Tenth Admendment to the Constitution of the United States.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Consitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
As a side line, the “Federalist Papers”, Hamilton, Madison and Jay has quite a bit to say about this topic.
#28

On March 4th, 2009 at 7:44 pm, zyzzyg said:

The working theory is that the Federal Government cannot impose, or force, legislation on a State without their say so.

OK, let’s hope these States and their Governors have the stones to stand by their principles as set forth by Rush Limbaugh, Bobby Jindal and Sen McCain. No Pork. No Stimulus. No big spending.

Well, not so much Bobby Jindal any more because he supports accept money for a study on a rail line between Baton Rouge and New Orleans to the tune of $110,000,000.

Like the omnibus bill, pull your pork and vote no, leave your pork in and vote yea, but don’t leave your pork in and vote no, otherwise you are a hypocrite.