“[T]his Assembly doth explicitly and peremptorily declare, that it views the powers of the Federal Government, as resulting from the compact, to which the States are parties, as limited by the plain sense and intention of the instrument constituting the compact as no further valid than they are authorized by the grants enumerated in that compact; and that in case of a deliberate, palpable and dangerous exercise of other powers, not granted by the said compact, the States who are parties thereto, have the right, and are duty bound, to interpose, for arresting the progress of the evil, and for maintaining within their respective limits, the authorities, rights and liberties appertaining to them.”

Sighs....the ideals of a world long past. Will they ever return?

hmmm, I'm for secession and starting over with the original experiment (the only difference, starting without slavery)

where is our TENTH ammendent????

'It's only a piece of paper"...wasn't that what the war criminal and his 9-11 boys said??

Absolutely and thus it has always been. The US acting within their powers and the states within theirs, Viva our democratic Union of States. The other day someone averred that we are not a nation or a people but only a collection of soverign states. Nothing could be further from the truth. People around the world know an American when they see and talk to them. An African American for example is as different from a negro living in Africa as night is from day etcetera. Because our forefathers came from diverse ethnic and regions of Europe and the world, there was a sense of ethinc differences within the country. That has all passed, we are and have been one for a long time now, one nation, one people, one unique way of behaving and looking at things, which the world recognises as a nation. We are much more than a collection of states.

Right you are Waffler, in fact what the US is becoming could indeed be described as a "union" of States...a "socialist Union of States. Maybe we could rename it the "United Socialist States of America". Or maybe "Obamaland". Thanks, but I'll stick the Liberty or Death way of life.

Vrginia State Flag: Semper Tyrannis

Though we are the greatest nation in the world we forget that freedom isn't free. How many Americans would be willing to give up, sacrifice what they have, or die to return our country to the path it was intended. We vote for people to represent us and once they are in office we realize we'll have to wait another four years, and then another four years. Then we are eight years older and we are still waiting.

Thomas, people may indeed die to protect freedom, but that doesn't mean it isn't free. Freedom IS FREE! That is the point! You are born free, endowed by your creator with certain inalienable rights. Soldiers didn't give me my rights, God did. That is not to say I am not grateful for those who give their lives in defense of liberty (pretty rare today if you ask me), but let's not get confused about where liberty comes from.

Making the distinction between 'federal' and 'national' is something all students should have learned. Obviously, Waffler hasn't. Yes, one world is big enough for all of us, but the distribution of power is the essense of republican jurisprudence. It starts with the individual being responsible for himslef, the town responsible for itself, the county responsible for itself, the state responsible for itself, and the federal responsible to ALL of us!! Any 'global' governing body should take heed that they take a back seat to the individual -- they are not our lords. Long live Virginia, if we can get them back on board, it will be only a matter of time before we Americans realize who we are, and take back our country.

Abraham Lincoln squashed the idea in this quote and stomped all over the quaint concept in the Declaration of Independence that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.

The Power of Sovereignty projected Upon the Individual.
Even King James declared himself a Freed Monarch. Freed from what ? and from whom ? and to what degree ?
The now complexity of life, clouds the waking minds of Patriots world wide. That is, patriots of liberty and freedom of a type. America is unique among the nations of the world, A religolistic standing, in contract with the Creator. not maybe, or might, but absolutely True. Prosperity dulls the pains of slavery, the Federal Reserve, IMF, with other lending houses, should take note Not to raise the interest rates in America. All the while Russia and China manipulate the currency market. Perhaps to an outcome they know not, America exist and awareness rises for a purpose. The Wealth of the world ruled by a few, is nothing new. It is the right to inherit, that sovereignty falls to the individual in America, Peace through Prosperity is a wise choice, concerning the waking giant. It is the pure essence of liberty and Freedom, that this nation United through Freewill association. No man would freely become a slave, but to Unite At Liberty, all can agree.

Yes, yes, and yes... The problem that America now face is due to the enforce membership on the Union...