Most Americans have no grasp of the importance of the protections against tryanny that were intended to be incorporated into the Constitution. This is not because the average citizen doesn't understand that we do need protection from a overly powerful Federal government. The average citizen does believe we need some form of protection. The reason they no longer look to the Constitution (as they should) is because they have a misplaced confidence in their notion of democracy and elections.

Americans do not have a "general presumption that rulers will govern well." But they do have a general presumption that a democracy will govern well. Their thought process is along the lines of "hey, as long as we have elections and can elect the members of the legislative and executive branches, why should we worry about limitations on what they do. If we don't like what they do, we can get rid of them through elections."

Until the average citizen is disabused of this misplaced confidence in democracy alone, he or she is not likely to be convinced of the importance of the protections against tryanny that were intended to be provided in the Constitution.

Most Americans have no grasp of the importance of the protections against tryanny that were intended to be incorporated into the Constitution. This is not because the average citizen doesn't understand that we do need protection from a overly powerful Federal government. The average citizen does believe we need some form of protection. The reason they no longer look to the Constitution (as they should) is because they have a misplaced confidence in their notion of a pure Democracy and elections.

Americans do not have a "general presumption that rulers will govern well." But they do have a general presumption that a democracy will govern well.

A detailed discussion on the flaws of a pure democracy is beyond the scope of this posting. Most who understand the role of the Constitution will know already. But until the average citizen is disabused of this misplaced confidence in a pure Democracy, he or she is not likely to be convinced of the importance of the protections against tryanny that were intended to be provided in the Constitution.

I sent an email to Turner. I cc'd all the State Representatives from the Knox County area.

PART I

I sent an email to Turner.

Mr. Turner,

This is response to your remarks regarding Susan Lynn (see below). Sir, if you against everything that Susan Lynn's for then you are against many, many Tennesseeans.

Many of us recognize the Federal government is out of control. The debts being accumulated will enslave our children. The Federal government is involving itself in every minute aspect of our daily lives - robbing us of freedom, controlling everything (even to the point of how much water is in our toilets). Soon, it will tell us what we can eat, what kind of care we can receive, and what kinds of doctors we can see.

We were warned about this by our founding fathers. They intended for the States to be a check against this kind of absolute power. Many, many of us recognize this danger and are seeking protection from our States. And for you to associate us with slavemasters is sickening and wrong.

One other point - the success of this kind of act will depend entirely on the will of the People. Once inacted, every individual and business will vote by whether or not they comply. Each of us will have to decide - do we comply with Federal law or State law? Many will continue to make their tax payments directly into the US Treasury and take their chances in the Federal courts and courts of public opinion. We can only hope that enough of us would have the courage to choose the side of the States.

Thank you - whoever posted this comment. I've been making this point for months. Under our current tax system, individuals and businesses make Federal tax payments by directly wiring money from their bank accounts into the US Treasury. They money never passes through State control. The Federal government then uses this money to coerce the States and suppress States rights initiatives. Take Tennessee for example. We have an annual State budget of about $30 billion. Of this, about one-third - close to $10 billion - is funded by programs managed by the Federal government. The majority of this is in healthcare, highways, education and law enforcement. Leverage of these funds is a greater impedence to Tennessee autonomy than any number of FBI or ATF agents. A Federal Tax Escrow Account legislative action is surely radical and would be perceived by many inside Washington D.C. and other States as an act of rebellion. It would be heavily challenged in courts. But make no mistake. Nothing short of this will have a lasting effect on stopping the tyranny of the Federal government.