Nation is headed for a shipwreck
| Monday, Jun 01 2009 04:23 PM
Last Updated Monday, Jun 01 2009 04:23 PM
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California voters' overwhelming defeat of five propositions symbolizes what we in the U.S. Navy called the point of extremis. This means if you're about to collide with another ship, it's permissible to do whatever it takes -- at the last second -- to avoid a collision.
Metaphorically, both California and our nation are at that point of extremis. We need leadership at both levels of government to avoid a financial shipwreck of unprecedented severity.
The navigational maneuver needed is to reestablish "federalism" -- as distinguished from our current, growing "centralism" -- to avoid the financial disaster that's clearly coming onto our radar screen.
It isn't complex: Constitutional authorities are already in place.
The legitimate role of the federal government is expressly described in Section 8 of Article I of our U.S. Constitution. A brief summary of these limited federal powers is: collect taxes, provide for our country's defense and general welfare, regulate interstate commerce, oversee legal processes (naturalization, bankruptcies, patents, copyrights, federal courts, etc.), operate a post office, and govern the District of Columbia.
That's it!
Where in our constitution do you find the multitude of other "programs" and "initiatives" of today's federal government -- from education and environment to health care and housing? These are only partial examples of the powers that need to be delegated to the several states.
The federal government is compelled to return both funding authority and decision-making authority -- not otherwise authorized by the constitution -- to the several states by honoring and respecting the 10th Amendment to our constitution.
The 10th Amendment also is amazingly simple. In essence, it says: powers not delegated to the federal government by this constitution -- nor prohibited by it to the states -- are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
Politicians will tell you that our judicial system long ago "watered down" this amendment to permit the federal government to expand -- and to exercise its "power grab" from the states of discretionary power and funding authority that should have remained with the several states. These powers can be restored to the states by a combination of visionary leadership and Congressional "spine" -- two characteristics all too absent in recent years in both political parties, yet found in certain individuals on both sides of the aisle today.
By the same token, California should restore funding and decision-making authority for local issues (schools, public safety, etc.) to California's counties and municipalities -- and to their respective school districts. The state of California usurped these powers and authority in the wake of Proposition 13 -- an unintended outcome of that statewide initiative in 1978.
It won't be easy to turn around this ship of state, but that's clearly what's needed. Otherwise, this point of extremis will result in a shipwreck not only of unprecedented financial loss but also loss of the freedoms we've enjoyed for over two centuries and continue to cherish today.
As Ben Franklin said, "We have a republic ... if we can keep it!"
John Pryor of Bakersfield is an insurance and risk consultant. Community Voices articles are expanded commentaries that generally contain approximately 500 words. The Californian reserves the right to reprint commentaries in all formats, including on its web page.
