The president released his budget for 2010 and it raises a question that no one seems to be asking. It is a question at the very heart of our constitution. Why is the federal government funding, and thus jumping with both feet into local affairs?

An African proverb says "it takes a village to raise a child". Hillary Clinton wrote a book a few years ago making that her title. The point is that a local community should work together in helping children get the eduction they need. When a family falls short the community can help. A quick look at next years federal budget leads me to believe the big bad federal government intends to drive the local agenda.

When you visit the White House website to get a quick version of the proposed budget, you find an interesting image. It's a map of the country and you can click on any state to see how the budgeted money will be spent locally. I viewed the billions going to Illinois, my home state. Money is designated for schools, teachers, roads, water and sewer infrastructure, airport renovations, housing assistance, daycare, financing for small business, health coverage for low-income families, additional health clinics, high-speed railway, and that is just the beginning. They did, however, leave out the drainage problem in my backyard!

Wow, we have come a long way since Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and the boys who wrote the constitution. The 10th amendment reads, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." In other words, all that stuff listed in the last paragraph, should never be in the national budget.

In the Federalist Papers (#45), James Madison further explained this amendment. He said, "The powers delegated by the proposed constitution to the Federal Government are few and defined. Those which remain in the State Governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace negotiation, and foreign commerce...The powers reserved to the states will extend to all the objects, which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the state." In other words, what is the federal government doing building a new snack bar at O'Hare Airport?

Our national government is facing huge challenges that are spelled out in the constitution. We have two wars, immigration nightmares, industry regulation needs, foreign negotiations (Iran, China, North Korea, etc.), global trade issues, and yet, Washington bureaucrats are trying to provide a better pooping system (sewer) for my neighborhood?

The last election makes me believe that I may be in the minority on this issue. Progressives are fully in favor of big government control of personal matters. They see the federal government as the best answer for social needs. I do not. I see the "village" as the first and primary support for local affairs.

I am glad to see the high-speed train coming to Chicago. We appreciate the billions of dollars coming from all the states, even though 99.9% of you will never be a passenger. We could make it fine without the train, but it will be really cool. I can't wait to ride it. Thanks again for the money.

By: William H Watson
Check out Bill's blog at http://www.questionsbybill.com.

Why would any hardworking American be even the slightest bit interested in Socialized medicine once you look at the big picture? That is the entire debate surrounding this health care reform proposal.

I have seen firsthand what it could do to parents of sick children that have not been able to afford health insurance. The doctors themselves have proven time after time it is not the illness, but the insurance that gets their attention on how to cure or what treatment to recommend. And if this healthcare reform is set into place in 2014, this will certainly be an even bigger issue for the doctors because they know if the treatment is not approved, then they will not get paid under this publicly controlled and funded healthcare.

As Americans we have fought for so much to only have it taken away again little pieces at a time. We are now on the verge of being told we have to have health insurance through the government or pay a penalty at a rate of 2.5% of our income to the government for some half a shot of the health insurance coverage they offer. My suggestion to everyone would be to acquire your own insurance and beat the health care reform to the punch.

Many people do not have insurance to cover the costs of healthcare just for the simple fact of not being able to afford it. Well ask yourself an important question then, who would you rather pay? Would you rather have your own insurance and pay that company direct or would you rather the government take your money and give you some shoddy socialistic health insurance plan? That is exactly what will be offered through the health care reform, do not expect a grandiose insurance plan that doctors would honor with open arms. That is just not going to happen.

At what point are Americans going to stand up and say 'NO' for a change? We need to fight for what we have right now because we fought hard to acquire it in the first place. There is no reason for the government to step in and make demands on us like this. This socialized medicine is not beneficial to us as American citizens it is only beneficial to the government itself. As far as healthcare policy reform is concerned in my house, I stand up and say 'NO' regularly. I have no interest in giving to the government more of my money and in return all I receive is less of my rights.

By: Eddie Harper
Don't Sit Around and Wait for Health Care Reform from the Government to Provide Health Insurance!

Visit Ed Harper Insurance and compare insurance company prices with no obligation.

Alabama's motto is not only a bold statement but a conviction its citizens have historically supported by their actions. Citizens of Alabama have repeatedly stood for their convictions and dared to defend their rights.

Alabama is now at a pivotal crossroads. As elections roll ever closer, there are many critical issues at stake that will determine the future course of this state.

Think back to the year 2003. The nation watched as a heated controversy developed over a monument engraved with the Ten Commandments that was placed inside the courthouse. It was put in that spot by Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Judge Roy Moore. He was found guilty of breaking the law and was removed from office.

The root issue of the court debate was more than the right to display the monument; it was about the constitutional right to acknowledge God. By acknowledging God, Judge Moore was simply doing what he was sworn to do and following the precedents set by numerous American and Alabama statesmen. Even the Alabama Constitution Preamble states, "We, the people of the State of Alabama... invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God..."

In reality, Judge Moore was not breaking the law; he was upholding it. He powerfully demonstrated Alabama's motto, and he dared to defend his right to acknowledge God. By his actions, he demonstrated he is a man of integrity, conviction, and principle.

Judge Roy Moore is currently running for governor of Alabama. As a fellow citizen, I would encourage you to consider supporting him. At this important decision-making time in Alabama, we need a man with a proven record of strong leadership, a man who will not cave into the pressures of special-interest groups, and someone who will promote the issues of principle that all Alabamans hold dear, someone who will dare defend our rights.

By: Josh Pittman
This article copyright Josh Pittman
Josh Pittman currently resides in Alabama and is a supporter of Judge Roy Moore. Follow Josh on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/JoshPittman

The current health care debate has brought forth requests for Congress to show constitutional authority that allows this type of federal mandate to be enacted. As I write this, no such proof has been submitted. Ordering citizens to purchase health insurance is certainly not the first time an overreaching U.S. government has been called to task. Allow me to reintroduce you to a bit of history that you may have forgotten since your last high school history class. I have condensed the story considerably for the purpose of this article. It was known as the "spot resolution."

Prior to Texas's independence, the Nueces River was recognized as the northern boundary of Mexico. When Texas won its independence and was later admitted into the union as our 28th state in 1845, it claimed as its southern border an additional 150 miles of land to the Rio Grande. Mexico refused to recognize the Rio Grande border. President James Polk sent a special envoy, John Slidell, to propose cancellation of Mexico's debt, provided Mexico would formally recognize the Rio Grande boundary. Mexican leaders refused to speak to Slidell and reaffirmed Mexico's claim to all of Texas.

On January 13, 1846, more than 3,500 troops commanded by General Zachary Taylor moved south under President Polk's order from the Nueces River, the border claimed by Mexico, to the north bank of the Rio Grande, across from the Mexican town of Matamoros. Some newspapers said that the movement was an invasion of Mexico rather than a defense of Texas. Three months later, Mexican soldiers crossed the Rio Grande and attacked an American patrol.

President Polk received Taylor's report of the skirmish and sent a message to Congress claiming "Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon America's soil." On May 13, Congress declared war with Mexico.

A freshman Congressman from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, questioned whether the "spot" where blood had been shed was really U.S. soil. On December 22, 1847, he introduced what became known as the "Spot Resolution."

Lincoln had demanded to see the spot of American soil upon which American blood had been shed by a foreign force. The time has now come to reintroduce honest Abe's insightful concept. I hereby demand to see the spot in my Constitution of the United States, the supreme law of the land, which empowers the U.S. government to arrest me for not purchasing health insurance. Show me the spot, the sentence, the amendment that proclaims uninsured citizens to be felons. The purpose of insurance is to transfer risk. The fiscal stability of my government and its ability to pay the mounting level of debt is already tenuous enough. We do not need any more risk.

During the Lincoln/Douglas debates, Lincoln once referred to one of Stephen Douglas' arguments a being "as thin as the soup that was made by boiling the shadow of a pigeon that had starved to death." By comparison, the federal criminalization of our uninsured citizens provides little if any intellectual nourishment. Allow me the liberty of feeding your mind with the following statement:

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people" (Amendment 10 to the Constitution of the United States). This simply means that if our Constitution does not specifically put my federal government in charge of it, you or your local government are responsible for handling that issue.

The Constitution does not give my President or my Congress enforceable authority over broken bones, mutated genes or ingrown toenails. From what I read, personal health concerns are a personal affair. If my President wants to sell health insurance, I suggest he get a license and have at it. God bless him for his efforts and good luck to him. But if any of you have questions regarding Congressional authority over the health industry, I suggest you obtain a copy and familiarize yourself with the U.S. Constitution, or what I refer to in my book as the citizenship manual of the United States.


By: Todd Lester
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Todd Lester's career has spanned across many years and numerous industries. He has been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and licensed to sell investments and insurance, worked as a retail manager, turned wrenches as an automotive mechanic, served cubicle time as an office manager and even owned his own business for many years restoring car interiors. And that is just since graduating college with a Finance degree. During much of this time, he was also a citizen soldier, serving twenty one years in the Army National Guards of both Louisiana and Texas as an Army bandsman. He has even performed as a clown with the Shrine Circus.