THE CONSTITUTION'S CENTRAL PLANNING

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/index.php/opinion/letters/59495-james-veverka-6-19-514

To the Editor,

Russ Wiles seems to think he is criticizing people when he uses the terms "central planners", liberals, progressives, and statists. The fact is, like millions, I am a proud progressive. Even when I went through my naive economic libertarian phase about 20 years ago, I was still socially liberal and thought to be otherwise was backwards and against the principles of liberty. 

Mr Wiles is poorly informed in constitutional matters. The United States Constitution is the most successful central plan in modern history. If one takes a careful look at Articles I, II, and III, we see a tremendous amount of power being shifted from the states to a central government. Treaties, national defense, borders, immigration, interstate commerce and even militias are under the authority of the federal government. Then in Article VI, we see what is known as the Supremacy Clause. You will never hear the righties cite it because it is the primary reason why they lose states rights issues in the courts. The supremacy clause states: 

"This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding".

While the righties try desperately to distract people with the 10th Amendment, they still can't overcome the fact that the authority of the federal government is supreme over all the states in regards to their constitutions, laws, and court holdings. The Constitution makes that clear but conservative radicals refuse to admit it. The letters from the tea party types remind me much of the anti-federalist arguments against the constitution during the states' ratification process. Big Government! Its the end of the world! Except for their demand for a Bill of Rights, the anti-federalists were wrong and they lost. Today's anti-federalists are still fighting; they don't know they lost the states rights fight many times on a constitutional level.

Then we have Amendment 14 which many on the far right would like to erase.  The American Taliban especially dislikes it because they can't use states rights to attack the equality of women and the LGBT community. The equal protection clause guarantees the liberties of the federal constitution at the state level. Because states were such reprobates when it came to liberty and equality, the nation had to pass an amendment extending the federal guarantees of liberties and equality to the states. The Equal Protection states:

"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

So when the radical right calls me a liberal progressive central planner, I say "thanks, you have a nice day, too!".