Last month, at the Yreka fairgrounds in northern California, the sheriffs - who, of course, are elected by the people - gathered with a large group to discuss what to do about Big Brother and his consistent meddling in state and local affairs.

Speaking of the federal bureaucracy, Plumas County (California) Sheriff Greg Hagwood declared, "A giant has been awakened, and they didn't count on that."

One by one the sheriffs recounted their experiences with an ever-encroaching federal government, whether from the aspect of emergency management, the foisting upon local jurisdictions of federal mandates, or the passage of federal statutes which many now feel run roughshod over state and local governments, inhibiting their ability to mold their own laws and policies around the needs of their respective populations.

"I had spent a good part of my life enforcing the penal code, but not understanding my oath of office," Sheriff Dean Wilson of Del Norte (Sacramento) County told the group.

"I was ignorant and naive, but now I know of the assault against our people by the federal government," he said, receiving some of the loudest and longest applause of the gathering.

Event host Sheriff John Lopey of Siskiyou (California) County said one of his biggest pet peeves was the federal government's ever-increasing environmental regulations.

"I have told federal and state officials over and over that, yes, we want to preserve the environment, but you care more about the fish, frogs, trees and birds than you do about the human race. When will you start to balance your decisions to the needs of the people? We are right now in a fight for our survival," he said.

No one makes the case better that the county sheriff is the real supreme law of the land than former Arizona sheriff Richard Mack. Speaking at the event, Mack says the word is beginning to get around.

"It's becoming a national movement now," Mack said, noting he planned to announce in January a national education movement that he anticipates will draw about 200 sheriffs from around the country.

"The county sheriff is the last line of defense guarding our people's liberty," he said.

J. D. Heyes
Natural News
November 20, 2011

Stewart Rhodes is helping to spark a revolution in the thinking of US civil police. All over the country, sheriffs and those who enforce local laws are beginning to understand the difference between federal and state law enforcement. Here is a video interview with Rhodes on Infowars.com talking about this issue and making reference to the above article.

by SOS Admin

Source: politicalvelcraft.org

by SOS Admin

This wouldn’t mark the first time a law enforcement agency has put a drone in the air, but the potential for carrying anything besides a surveillance payload is unprecedented as far as we’ve heard. There won’t be any Hellfire missiles here, but ShadowHawk - built locally by a company called Vanguard Defense Industries—is designed to carry a range of less-lethal payloads, including Taser-esque weapons that deliver an electric charge or a firearm that fires beanbag rounds known as stun batons.

Naturally, the very idea of this is fraught with controversies. Some local politicians and citizens are worried about invasions of privacy, while others are concerned that the drone will be put to use catching speed limit violators, an idea that caused some controversy in the Houston area back in 2007 (the idea was later scrapped).

Sheriff Tommy Gage told local media in Houston that his department’s ShadowHawk would only be deployed in emergency circumstances (like a hunt for a missing person) or in situations where sheriff’s deputies know they are dealing with law breakers, such as when police are actively pursuing suspects on the ground or in hostage situations. It could also be deployed to aid area firefighters in wildfire situations (nearby Bastrop was ablaze for several days this summer, and wildfires have become an increasing problem in Texas in recent years).

But weaponized law enforcement drones? Even loaded with a non-lethal payload the Montgomery Country Sheriff’s Department is dipping its toes in uncharted waters. Texas perhaps has a reputation for dealing unsympathetically with lawbreakers, but Texans are also fiercely protective of their civil liberties. There no telling how this one will shake out, but if Montgomery County can make a success of its drone deployment this could mark the beginning of a larger trend in law enforcement and a larger, more hands-on role for robotics.

by SOS Admin

Authorities said a woman walking her dog was attacked by 46-year-old Walter Lance at the park on Sunday afternoon. They said Lance choked the woman, stripped her naked and then tried to rape her.

Lance has been apprehended by authorities and has been denied bond.
Sheriff Wright began his press conference by saying, "Our form of justice is not making it," and he said, "I'm really aggravated."

"Carry a concealed weapon." The Sheriff said, "That'll fix it."

Read more: Sheriff Chuck Wright doesn't hold back!

by SOS Admin

The Sheriffs called Attorney General Eric Holder to account. For his part, Holder has promised a full investigation of the deadly gun smuggling by his Justice Department Inspector General. However, the sheriffs are demanding President Obama appoint a special counsel to investigate Eric Holder and his possible authorization of Project Gunrunner and its Arizona offspring, Operation Fast and Furious.

Pinal County Sheriff, Babeu said, “We want to get to the bottom of this. One, to find out what truly happened, and two, to ensure this never happens again. This is not political. This is a public safety issue, this is a threat against our deputies and local officers, not only in Arizona but across the Southwest.”

Referring to the murder of Tucson District Border Patrol Agent, Brian Terry with a Fast and Furious smuggled weapon, Sheriff Babeu has also said, “If somebody gives a gun to somebody knowing they’re going to commit murder, guess what we call them? … We call them accomplices.”

Attorney General, Eric Holder, answers questions about Gunrunner and Fast and Furious by telling Congress about ongoing internal Justice Department investigations. Holder does not mention the person investigating DOJ is its Acting Inspector General, Cynthia A. Schnedar, who has long, close ties to Eric Holder. In 1994, Schnedar served as assistant U.S. attorney in D.C. when Holder was U.S. attorney.

A responsible inspector general would have immediately noted the obvious conflict of interest and stepped aside after calling for a special counsel to conduct an impartial inquiry. The fact that Schnedar chose not to disclose this conflict of interest indicates possible collusion and corruption of the DOJ Inspector General’s Office.¹

by SOS Admin

Oath Keepers sees good reason to stand in the streets with these awakening souls and protect their right to free speech, to peacefully assemble, and to redress their grievances to their government, as the Constitution prescribes for all Americans. That is one thing. Another facet of our initiative is to use these public gatherings to reach and teach many who now hunger for the truth — we can show them how the Constitution will protect them better than an oversized, bloated Federal behemoth hell-bent on controlling every aspect of each citizen’s life.

On its website, Oath Keepers lists 10 orders its members will always refuse, including commands to conduct warrantless searches, to disarm the public, blockade an American city, or do anything that infringes "on the right of the people to free speech, to peaceably assemble, and to petition their government for a redress of grievances." According to Rhodes, the group has about 30,000 dues-paying members. Unlike the ACLU, the Oath Keepers are staunch defenders of the Second Amendment.

These latter positions have drawn suspicion and, at times, outright contempt from liberal groups such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, which lumps Oath Keepers in with militias and hate groups. Bill Whittle spoke with Stewart Rhodes about these criticisms in the following YouTube interview.

In another recent interview posted on YouTube, Stewart speaks about preparing for a potential currency collapse. He also has a special message to veterans & other folks who’ve sworn to the oath: support your local Sheriff.

Oath Keepers, founded by Army veteran and Yale University law grad Stewart Rhodes, is a non-partisan association primarily made up of active and retired police, military, and other public officials who swore an oath to the U.S. Constitution and reaffirm that they will not “obey unconstitutional (and thus illegal) and immoral orders.”

by SOS Admin

He [Arpaio] assigned a special team of investigators with subpoena power to determine the authenticity of the document Obama released last April, claiming it to be his long-form birth certificate. Numerous independent graphics experts have proclaimed it a forgery since then, but the media establishment treats it like it's the Holy Grail. Arpaio got into the case in response to requests from a local tea-party group concerned that a fraud of this magnitude was being swept under the rug.

Read more: Sheriff Joe's posse to the rescue

America's toughest sheriff has a 3,000-member-strong volunteer posse, which he uses for tasks ranging from search and rescue to crime prevention. The Cold Case Posse is a “posse within the posse,” and its members typically have backgrounds in law, law enforcement, or other specialized fields including accounting and forensics. Arpaio has assigned five members, who will be kept anonymous for safety reasons, to investigate the birth certificate under the Cold Case Posse umbrella. Once the investigation is complete, Arpaio explains, he will have the “ultimate authority” to decide how to proceed. None of this is costing taxpayers—the Cold Case Posse is a 501(c)3 organization, and if you want to help fund the investigation, you can donate.

Read more: Washington Post

by SOS Admin

A new bill making its way through the Tennessee General Assembly states that a federal employee who is not designated as a Tennessee peace officer may not make an arrest or conduct a search and seizure in the Volunteer State without the express consent of the sheriff of the county in which the arrest, search, and seizure is to occur except under certain enumerated circumstances.

No vague request will satisfy the mandates of the measure were it to be enacted by the General Assembly of the Tennessee and signed into law by the governor. In fact, the bill explicitly requires that the permission request contain the following information:

(A) The name of the subject of the arrest, search, or seizure;
(B) A clear statement of probable cause for the arrest, search, or seizure or a federal arrest, search, or seizure warrant that contains a clear statement of probable cause;
seized;
(C) A description of the specific things to be searched for or
(D) A statement of the date and time that the arrest, search, or seizure is to occur; and
(E) The address or location where the intended arrest, search, or seizure will be attempted.

The serious and very powerful posture struck by the measure is undeniable. In Section 1, Paragraph (f), the proposed law sets forth the punishments to be imposed upon a federal officer failing to conform to the dictates thereof:

An arrest, search, or seizure or attempted arrest, search, or seizure in violation of subsection (a) is unlawful, and the persons involved shall be prosecuted by the county attorney for kidnapping if an arrest or attempted arrest occurred, for trespass if a search or attempted search occurred, for theft if a seizure or attempted seizure occurred, and for any applicable homicide offense if loss of life occurred. The persons involved shall also be charged with any other applicable criminal offense.

Furthermore, if any county attorney fails to timely and properly prosecute the federal agent accused of violating the law’s mandates regarding arrest, search, and seizure, that attorney is subject to recall by the voters and “to prosecution by the attorney general for official misconduct.

Under the wording of our Constitution the County Sheriff has always been the final authority in authorizing arrests and searches and seizures. As the politicians in the federal government have incrementally usurped the rights given to the sovereign states and set aside the dictates of Posse Comitatus, the agents of the federal government have taken control of the responsibilities that rightfully belong to the Sheriff of each county.

This usurpation is most visible in the airports throughout our country. Nowhere in the constitution is exception given to exempt airports from the safeguards against illegal search and seizure and sexual assault practiced daily by federal agents of the TSA. In the recent past our airport security was conducted by private security organizations under the watchful eyes of sheriff deputies in keeping with the lawful requirements of our constitution. The efficiency of that system was much better than the documented lack of efficiency associated with the TSA.

The widespread takeover of law enforcement duties by federal agents has transformed our country into a police state that promises to continue to grow. It's time we return to the county sheriffs as the primary law enforcement officials. This will bring the voting citizens of each county closer to their elected officials and increase accountability at the local level.

Source: The New American

by SOS Admin

Though the SB 1070 law that has gone into effect is a gutted version of the real bill, yesterday was also the day that Governor Brewer filed an expedited appeal, vowing to fight all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary. Yesterday was also the day that busloads of imported protesters from California chained themselves outside Sheriff Arpaio's jail.

Still, there are those who think the real solution isn't immigration reform or securing the border. Some feel certain the fact that Arizona is trying to block the drug highway from Mexico, thus cutting off the drug cartel's route to supply drugs to the United States is the primary reason that the drug cartel is allegedly out to eliminate Sheriff Joe. Therefore, they think the solution is to legalize drugs.

In the message, $1M reward is placed on Arpaio's head, and for mafia cartel recruiting purposes, another $1K to join the cartel.

The information about the tape was provided by a man, frightened enought to request anonymity, who was disgusted when his wife showed him the tape and followed up by reporting it to the sheriff's office. Death threats aren't uncommon for law enforcement officers who battle the lawlessness of border states,woefully overwhelmed and understaffed, and Sheriff Joe has had more than a few. This threat is considered real and credible, especially because of its timing.

It is believed this message originated in Mexico. The tape provides an international phone number and investigators are trying to trace the text message.

by SOS Admin

Tony DeMeo tells the story about how he used the Constitution as his foundation in the saga of Nye County rancher Wayne Hage’s disputes over encroachments by the federal government. While Wayne Hage’s case centered around property rights in federally managed lands, Sheriff Tony DeMeo’s example is relevant for everyone to understand the power of local government, the importance of following the Constitution and upholding the Tenth Amendment (states’ rights and sovereignty).

Wayne Hage, the author of “Storm Over Rangelands, Private Rights in Federal Lands” owned the Pine Creek cattle ranch in Nye County. Wayne Hage wrote his book after suffering illegal cattle seizures by armed federal agents and chronicled the history of how the robber baron bankers and railroad magnates monopolized the western states over 100 years ago. Hage wrote that the northern core financiers were aware that there are two ways to monopolize any resource, “One, get all of it for yourself that you can; two, keep anybody else from getting what you can’t.” Public Lands and National Forests were created along with restrictive regulations, using environmental protection as the excuse.

Learn more:
http://www.infowars.com/constitutional%C2%A0sheriff-tony-demeo/

by SOS Admin

"Our own government has become our enemy," he said, "and is taking us to court at a time when we need help."
You may remember Babeu from Sen. John McCain's "complete the danged fence" ad, in which the sheriff and the senator stroll along the border discussing border patrol and illegal immigration.

But who is he?

He is Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, a 41-year-old from Massachusetts who has become the new face of Arizona border sheriffs in the last two months.

Babeu's border-hawk stance and penchant for self-promotion have led some to label him a less abrasive version of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. But Arpaio was a law enforcement officer who turned politician, while Babeu is a politician turned sheriff.

Learn more

by SOS Admin

The Center for Constitutional Rights just sent out the following release …

This afternoon, CCR Attorney Sunita Patel was arrested while carrying out her legal observer duties at a protest of Arizona’s unconstitutional immigration law, SB 1070. As police began a sweep, Ms. Patel began to take down names of those being arrested and was promptly arrested herself. Witnesses say legal observers were deliberately targeted by police.

Said CCR Legal Director Bill Quigley, “Arresting a young woman of color who is there as an attorney observer demonstrates how irresponsible and un-American the Arizona action is. I fear Arizona is starting to act like Mississippi in the civil rights days.”

by SOS Admin

I am a law enforcement officer and have worked in numerous law enforcement agencies in the last many years beginning with the military. I have taken my oath to this country many times. I have also realized that we have had many “domestic enemies” over the years.

It was recently asked of me because of my current position, what I was going to do if the federal government begins to make illegal moves against its citizenry. Its something that all law enforcement must ask themselves. I do know the difference between a “lawful order” and an “unlawful order.”
Finding this site with your videos and reading your mission statement goes along with what I’ve been feeling for some time. I anticipate that many states will take the appropriate action as outlined in the 10th Amendment. Until then, we wait for “the unforgiveable line to be crossed.”

I’m in a more precarious position than some of the other law enforcement officers as I work for the Department of Homeland Security. That is why I must remain anonymous. Know that there are many like us that believe that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and we’ll do whatever it takes to insure it remains intact.

Anonymous DHS officer

Click here to view the original post and Stewart Rhodes reply.

by SOS Admin

Washington Post reporters Dana Priest and William Arkin shocked the nation with an incredible report detailing a “Fourth Branch” of American government that has grown out of the ashes of 9/11. Dubbed “Top Secret America,” the branch constitutes clandestine and almost out of control intelligence infrastructure that spans the United States financed by out of control Congressional spending.

For two years, Priest, Arkin, and The Washington Post worked to build what may be the most comprehensive report to date documenting an unwieldy network of more than 1,200 government agencies and almost 2,000 private companies that employ more than 850,000 people holding top secret security clearance. In Washington D.C. alone, some 17,000,000 square feet of top secret building space has been constructed to house departments with unknown purposes. The report does not seem to estimate how many people total staff the government intelligence effort.

Not the least of the matters exposed by Top Secret America is the amount of government intelligence money being poured into private contractors to escape budgetary accountability. According to the Top Secret America report, many of these contractors have little or no oversight and work in buildings that are not even allowed to be on the map or have a street address doing things that some believe no one knows about.

All told, the branch of government called Top Secret America is supposed to help defend the nation against terrorism, but with reports that agencies struggled to spend money shoveled into them by Congress fast enough and with so much of the intelligence network “off the grid,” Top Secret America questions how anyone can evaluate the effectiveness of the system. The part of Top Secret America that is known, produces so many reports and so much data that much of it is never used.

In classic American government style, the supposed solution to the problem of managing Top Secret America was the creation of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) which is supposed to control a host of intelligence agencies, although Congress gave no authority over those agencies to the Director. The report suggests that now ODNI is so large that many of the people running it do not know what the office is supposed to be doing.

Exasperating the enormity and complexity of Top Secret America is the development of an internal culture complete with its own status symbols. Departments and agencies apparently compete to get larger and more numerous secure rooms called SCIFs, which are said to be equivalent to comparing penis sizes within the community. Other status symbols are armored cars, command centers, and security details, all increasing in size, number, and expense as employees within the system compete for prominence.

In short, the intelligence community is afraid of the Top Secret America report because it puts their livelihood at risk. If enough people find out about the incredibly chaotic, expansive, and expensive state of Top Secret America, the possibility exists that voters may pressure political leaders to take action to bring American intelligence under scrutiny. Such an action could end the “gravy train” that the hidden Top Secret American world has enjoyed for nearly a decade.

Source:

Priest, Dana, and William M. Arkin.
“Top Secret America.” Washington Post. July 19, 2010.

Related: Tim Shorrock asked Why It Took So Long

by SOS Admin

by SOS Admin

Sheriff Mack is also a member of Oath Keepers and the founder of NO SHERIFF LEFT BEHIND! Learn more at http://sheriffmack.com

Richard Mack recently appeared in television interviews where he discussed his membership in Oath Keepers and the importance of the police and military in upholding their oaths to the U.S. Constitution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU8M7MHMwgQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDncD24hN9M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv0npfTxo10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io3tdeIduHo

by SOS Admin

The Bank of North Dakota has been operating since 1919 without federal bailouts of any kind, completely funded by its own resources, non-securitized, and by charter obligated to loan to agrarian interests instate.

Moreover, North Dakota currently has a record surplus and the lowest unemployment in the country. It’s the megabanks that needed TARP and all the rest. The state bank of ND is self-insured (they don’t WANT FDIC insurance – why pay the fees?) and has returned revenue (not COST revenue) to the state since inception 91 YEARS ago! A state bank of Arizona could do the same thing. Read Ellen Brown’s articles or her book “Web of Debt” to understand this.

This video is Ron Paul's brother Wayne who explains how the Federal Reserve has bankrupted our country. This begs the question: If we do not have Constitutional money, how can we claim to have Constitutional government? The answer is we can't. This needs to change. The following is letter Bob Walton recently sent to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, it reads:

July 13, 2010

U.S. Mail:
The Honorable Jan Brewer
Governor of Arizona
1700 West Washington
Phoenix, Arizona 85007

Dear Governor Brewer:

Arizona needs its own bank and you can make it happen.

You have probably heard of attorney and author Ellen Brown. Her knowledge and ideas can save America and Arizona can lead the way. Ellen Brown says:

"We're being reduced to the state of a 3rd world country… because of a failed Wall Street banking system. Meanwhile the Wall Street bankers are getting trillions out of our government on the presumption that if we don't preserve this banking system then we won't have a credit system. But that is not true. In fact we can create our own credit exactly the way that (private) banks create it- we can set up an alternative credit system in which states would own their own banks."

This is not pie in the sky but a proven fact as Ellen explains:

"One state in the Union does this- North Dakota- one of only two states currently able to meet their budget. In fact the state (of North Dakota) now has the largest surplus it has ever had. North Dakota has plenty of money for everything it wants to do."

Because our new immigration law, Arizona has emerged as the leader of the vast majority of Americans who are fed up with the Federal Government and the international bankers who are trying to bring America down. Millions of Americans stand ready to participate in a peaceful revolution in which we the people and our respective state and local governments take decisive action by assuming our responsibility to protect and defend the Republic as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Computerized rigged elections have taken away our ability to control the politicians in Washington and today they all serve the same globalist bankers who have a stranglehold based upon their money monopoly- also known as the Federal Reserve. But we the people can break that monopoly. Millions of people across America are disgusted with the phony Republican-Democrat rigged system. We will no longer tolerate the abuse and tyranny we see increasing with each administration- regardless of political stripe.

There are so many things we can and must do to prevent the looming disaster but there is no more fundamental need than that of "monetary sovereignty" for our state and local governments. Unless we break the money monopoly, we will never gain the economic freedom and prosperity necessary to take our Country back.

Please watch the short video of Ellen Brown talking about her proposal for state and local banks at the following link:

http://wideeyecinema.com/?p=9102

Also you can go on her website at the following address:

http://www.webofdebt.com/

This letter is being forwarded by e-mail (bcc) to a number of dedicated and concerned Americans including the following whose public service, writings, words and deeds inspire and give us hope:

Ellen H. Brown
Christopher Bollyn
Richard C. Cook
Jim Condit Jr.
Stewart Rhodes
Mark B. Matthews
Sheriff Richard Mack
Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever
Arizona State Senator Manuel V. "Manny" Alvarez
Arizona State Representative David W. Stevens
Arizona State Representative Patricia V. Fleming

Thank you for your continued leadership and courage.

Very truly yours,

Robert W. "Bob" Walton
PO Box 16283
Portal, Arizona 85632
(520)558-2273

by SOS Admin

The Gadsden flag is a historical American flag with a yellow field depicting a rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Positioned below the snake is the legend "DONT TREAD ON ME". The flag was designed by and is named after American general and statesman Christopher Gadsden. It was also used by The United States Marine Corps as an early motto flag.

While the official Alex Jones Facebook page has been terminated, a few other pages run by Infowars readers have also been deleted. The offical SOS page (facebook.com/SaveOurSheriff) currently displays the Gadsden flag but does so using an approved Facebook application provided free of charge by World Flags.

"If Facebook has embarked on a policy of banning political expression and images it deems offensive then the company should be more open about the fact." writes Paul Joseph Watson of Prison Planet.com.

by SOS Admin

Mitch Ellis, federal manager of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona, warns that the area is "increasingly violent" because of "smugglers and border bandits." Federal officials have even advised the public to avoid the Sonoran Desert National Monument, which is only 35 miles southwest of Phoenix.

Today, armed drug cartels openly challenge the Mexican government. Deadly battles occur frequently in Mexico, whereMore than 6,500 people were killed by cartel forces last year and more than 5,000 have been killed so far this year. Paramilitary bands have entered the United States illegally and set up sentry and command posts. Federal authorities have actually ceded control of public land in Arizona to these invaders. Cartels claim openly that Mexico's border with the United States has been moved northward to Interstate 8. The police chief of Nogales, Ariz., has received threats that cartels may use snipers positioned just across the border to target law enforcement personnel in the U.S.

by SOS Admin

Many people are asking, "What can Arizona do?" Ray Hartwell gives one possible answer in his recent commentary Obama lawsuit invites fortified state militia (published by the Washington Times).

Hartwell writes, "Arizona and her sister states in the Southwest could take dramatically stronger actions to bring order to the border. And they would have both history and the Constitution on their side." Then Hartwell goes on to give the history of the Pancho Villa, and points out that Arizona can form and expand its own state militia. Such forces were common when our nation was founded, and the Second Amendment recognizes that a "well-regulated Militia" is "necessary to the security of a free State." In short, Arizona and other states can raise and arm their own military forces.

The Constitution is informative here. In Article IV, Section 4, the federal government is required to "protect each [state] against Invasion; and [on request of the state government] against domestic Violence." As St. George Tucker noted, this provision guards against "the possibility of an undue partiality in the federal government," for example a "sectional" president who might, for political reasons, decline to protect states in a certain region. Today the federal government, at the direction of the president, has declined to carry out its duty under Article IV. Leaving aside its other possible consequences, this intentional failure to protect Arizona raises the question of what action the state is now entitled to take under the Constitution.

This brings us to Article I, Section 10, Clause 3, which provides that "No State shall, without the Consent of Congress … engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay."

So, the militias organized and armed by a state may go to war when the state has been invaded or is in imminent danger. This is clear under Article I, and plainly justified when the federal government has deliberately failed to protect against invasion as required by Article IV. As Joseph Story explains in his treatise on the Constitution, the prohibition against states engaging in war is "wisely" limited by "exceptions sufficient for the safety of the states, and not justly open to the objection of being dangerous to the Union."

At the time of our nation's founding, the states surrendered certain limited powers to the federal government. Logically, foremost among the enumerated powers delegated to the new central authority were those relating to foreign affairs, including the war powers. But the states were prudent; they had a logical concern that if the federal government should fail in its duty to protect them from "invasion" or "imminent danger," perhaps for reasons of political "partiality," then the states should have a robust right to defend themselves, including by armed force. And so they do.

Ray Hartwell is a Navy veteran and a Washington lawyer.

news source

Photo: John W. "Jack" Swilling (April 1, 1830 – August 12, 1878) founded the city of Phoenix, Arizona, in 1867
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Swilling

by SOS Admin