By: Jim Nolan
Published: December 20, 2010 11:48 AM
No surprise here, but Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has thrown his support behind an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution, which would allow two-thirds of the states to repeal any law or regulation of Congress.
Cuccinelli, a rising conservative star who has championed challenges to newly-enacted federal health care reform and EPA regulations on greenhouse gas emissions joins Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and legislative leaders of 11 other states backing the repeal effort.
The states involved to date: Virginia, Florida, Texas, Montana, Iowa, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Utah.
Here is the repeal provision language:
“Any provision of law or regulation of the United States may be repealed by the several states, and such repeal shall be effective when the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states approve resolutions for this purpose that particularly describe the same provision or provisions of law or regulation to be repealed.”
Here is Cuccinelli’s statement on the issue:
“I am enthusiastically supporting the repeal amendment in order to restore the balance of power between the citizens and the federal government. Over the past several decades, no matter which party is in charge, the federal government has been eroding the authority of the states and the liberty of citizens. The Repeal Amendment will act as an important check against the ever growing power of the federal government.”
And the first thing Cuccinelli will repeal is the 13th…
Seems like, once again, a major politician from this state wants to carry us back to Ol’ Virginny.
Mr. Cuccinelli, nullification has been decided…by the blood and tears and toil of Americans. I suppose the 150th anniversary of secession brings out these crazy ideas, but we are not a confederation of states. Rather, we are a union of states, united as states, and one nation, under god, indivisible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nullification_Crisis
Yep, I was pretty sure that mr. Cuccinelli would do that..
Of course this is partisan—very much so. If Cuccinelli truly wished “to restore the balance of power between the citizens and the federal government,” then he would be pushing for *referendums* in which two-thirds of the *citizens* could repeal any law or regulation.
Making it work by state ensures that conservative rural areas have far more influence than the more liberal urban centers—by state, the 500,000 citizens of Wyoming have the same influence as the 37,000,000 citizens of California, a 74-to-1 advantage. As if conservative, low-population states do not already have strongly disproportionate influence over government already. One only has to look at the Senate to understand this.
There’s no rule saying it has to be state legislatures. A popular vote would be much more representative of the people’s say; states having the power would more reflect the political establishment, skewed in favor of conservative views.
Does Cooch favor allowing Virginia localities to repeal state laws and mandates ? According to the Mayor of Norfolk, there are nearly 500 of them.
The Repeal Amendment is the best idea since sliced bread! It has nothing to do with political party or partisan view—yet it has everything to do with letting a society regulate itself. The American federal govt. is too big and cannot govern, more power needs to be given to the States. Besides, the Repeal Amendment gives the electorate a voice in how it wants to live and govern itself. Partisan mandates from the feds are killing US society, finances and ability to govern.
I will consider this amendment after Virginia passes an amendment that allows voters to enact laws and overturn state laws without the consent of the General Assembly.
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