62 gun-happy GOP lawmakers vs. U.S. Constitution
Yael T. AbouhalkahDozens of Republicans in the Missouri General Assembly have embarrassed themselves by signing on to a bill that declares - by God! - the federal government can’t tell them what to do.
If President Barack Obama, Congress and the feds try to impose any gun controls on Missouri that the lawmakers don’t like, the new bill says, anyone who tries to enforce those laws would become criminals themselves.
Boom! You can almost see Kansas City-area GOP legislators Chris Molendorp, Ronald Schieber, Noel Shull and the 59 others sticking their tongues out at the jack-booted thugs of the Obama administration.
In other words, they are going to criminalize the enforcement of federal laws.
Unfortunately this is a shameful attempt at publicity, yet another gigantic waste of time by GOP lawmakers in Jefferson City.
For a bunch of Republicans who profess to love the U.S. Constitution, these guys and gals really don’t get it. Here’s the list of co-sponsors so far.
Ever read Article VI, Clause 2 of the United States Constitution, better known as the Supremacy Clause?
Yes, that’s the part of the U.S. Constitution that says federal laws are the “supreme” laws. Any conflict between federal laws/bills and state laws/bills? The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the feds have the final say.
Put another way, states don’t have the legal power to reject federal law.
This argument being used by the 62 Missouri GOP lawmakers has been tried before by states that don’t want to follow the rules of the land. And it’s been rejected before. If House Bill 170 gets passed, it will be another travesty foisted upon the people of Missouri by the General Assembly.
Kent Mueller
4 months, 1 week agoYael, what you say is partially true. And, I don’t necessarily support the Republican Missouri Congressmen on this. But, you may quote Article VI, Clause 2 all day long. The real issue between the states and the federal government lies in the 10th Amendment. Care to tell us your thoughts about that?
Shelley Powers
4 months, 1 week agoThe Supreme Court has ruled that citizens have a right to own firearms, but the court also left the door open to placing restrictions on the ownership (denying firearms to the mentally ill, or felons), as well as type of guns (such as a semi-automatic gun commonly known as an ‘assault’ weapon).
No one is advocating for taking people’s guns away, only returning previously existing assault weapon bans and other commonsense measures.
George Hunsucker
Northland
4 months, 1 week agozero needs to let STATES choose what weapons are legal in their state, not some dumbass bureaucrat…..
Mark Hastert
4 months, 1 week agoThe Missouri legislature is long on symbolic (and ultimately meaningless) votes and short on getting anything useful done. This must be what they mean about less government, get elected and not do anything.
George Hunsucker
Northland
4 months, 1 week agothe resident lib describes the U.S. Senate to a T…. no budget in over 1300 days, as mandated by law. Maybe zero needs an Executive Order to negate this too—come on zero, give Harry an out!!!!
George Hunsucker
Northland
4 months, 1 week agoWhat is wrong with our “educational” system? This could be the next brainwashing exercise by the left…..
http://www.campusreform.org/blog/?ID=4576
Matt Henry
4 months, 1 week ago“Travesty”, huh? That may be the most hyperbolic statement in the history of the universe.
George Hunsucker
Northland
4 months, 1 week agoThe federal govt. has no legal right to give states unfunded mandates yt, but they do it all the time…..
And of course the federal govt. has the right to enforce immigration laws, but zero chooses not to enforce some of these… Again costing the states millions of dollars because of the ILLEGAL ALIENS…..
Steve Alleman
Kansas City
4 months, 1 week agoMatt Henry: “That may be the most hyperbolic statement in the history of the universe.”
Matt is usually wrong about everything, but I wanted to take a moment to appreciate his humor there.
Curt A. Hodapp
4 months, 1 week agoI guess that it is OK for Obama and the Democrats to make ordinary law abiding citizens to own a gun. A right that is given to us all by the constitution; unlike healthcare.
A state has every right to protect its citizens from what is becoming a very oppressive federal government. It takes cur extreme courage to stand up for what you know is correct
I am afraid in the upcoming years we all will have to make a stand for what we believe in. The question is where you stand
Steve Alleman
Kansas City
4 months, 1 week agoCome down off the cross, Curt.
Phil Cardarella
4 months, 1 week agoI would pay money to see one of these clowns try to make a “citizen’s arrest” of an FBI or ATF agent.
Seriously, folks, this issue was fully litigated in 1861-65. Perhaps they missed that at school. Maybe we should send them al to the movie.
Chris Howell
4 months, 1 week agoCurt,you go right ahead and try to take on the Feds……you`ll be dead in the first five minutes!
Mark Hastert
4 months, 1 week agoThe MO Republican legislature are a bunch on impotent boobs. It’s just a big circle jerk. Their symbolic “Laws” demonstrate their true ignorance of the law and the Constitution. My hope is that sooner of later the voters in their districts will tire of their ineffectual representatives and at least vote for a Republican who will address their real needs.