More action on states’ rights from Michigan Rep Paul Opsommer

Press release from MI Rep.  Paul Opsommer

OPSOMMER PRAISES SENATE ACTION, CALLS FOR HCR 04 AND SCR 04 TO BE HEARD
June 18, 2009

Rep. Paul Opsommer today praised the Senate for officially beginning the discussion on the issue of state sovereignty. The Senate passed both SCR 13 and SR 62 on Tuesday.

“Individual state rights have been slowly eroded in our United States to the point where we have a whole generation that is growing up believing the federal government created the states and not the other way around,” said Opsommer. “But we have now been bullied, manipulated and coerced by the federal government to the point that things have come to a head and state legislatures, especially full-time ones like what we have here in Michigan, have to stand up and push back against this unconstitutional overreach.”

Opsommer pointed out that even before the recession that almost a third of state funds came from the federal government, but that this year Uncle Sam supplanted sales, property taxes and income taxes as the biggest source of revenue for state and local governments. And if you don’t do go along to get along, you don’t get the money.

“The 50 states have somehow become the collective children whose federal parents can take away their allowance and car privileges if they don’t do as their told,” said Opsommer. “That is not how the founding fathers intended things to be.”

Opsommer called for his resolution HCR 04 to be taken up, as well as SCR 04 by Senator Patterson. HCR 04 is a reintroduction of Opsommer’s from last year and focuses on the need for states to demand that the federal government honor its 10th Amendment Rights.

“This isn’t an issue about Republicans or Democrats, this is an issue about federal abuses that have taken place in both parties that are creating a country that is very different than the one our parents and grandparents lived in and fought for,” said Opsommer. “Whether it is No Child Left Behind, REAL ID, federal road funding schemes or the most recent manipulations of the stimulus package, many state legislatures spend most of their time chasing federal dollars and passing laws to keep Washington happy instead of focusing on the state citizens they were elected to serve.”

In addition to HCR 04, Opsommer has also introduced HCR 22, HCR 09, and HCR 06 related to federalism issues.