One of the most significant (and often abused) clauses in the U.S. Constitution is the “Necessary and Proper” Clause. The clause states: “The Congress shall have Power… To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.” On the surface, it seems straightforward. Simply put, Congress possesses the means “necessary” to carry out its powers authorized by the Constitution itself. But what constitutes “necessary?”...
Tenth Amendment
By Enforcing Sanctions on Russia, SWIFT May Commit Suicide
The government of the United States has intervened militarily in other countries for decades, against the council of founders like George Washington who advised America should “observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all.” But the U.S. doesn’t only project power across the globe through its massive military. It also weaponizes the U.S. dollar, using its economic dominance and its privilege as the issuer of the reserve currency as a carrot-stick tool of foreign policy. The U.S. government showers billions of dollars in foreign aid to “friends.”...
The Costs of War on Your Wallet
James Madison warned us about the costs of war. War comes with an extremely high price tag. According to the Cost of War Project by the Watson Institute at Brown University, the U.S. spent $2.26 trillion on the war in Afghanistan alone. That comes to over $300 million spent every single day over the span of two decades. In 2018, the Watson Institute calculated that America’s “war on terror” had cost the equivalent of $23,000 per taxpayer. But the average person has no sense of the cost of America’s neverending wars. That’s because the government primarily pays for its wars by borrowing...
An Oppressive Cycle: How Police Militarization and Police Violence Reinforce Each Other
The militarization of state and local police through federal government programs changed the character of policing in the United States. It has turned “protect and serve” into “command and control.” Instead of serving the community as “peace officers,” many state and local law enforcement agencies have turned into domestic military forces. We see the images on TV news—cops in military gear, riding on armored vehicles and toting military-style weapons. Police apologists claim militarizing law enforcement agencies helps them fight dangerous criminals more effectively and that it makes the...
Fighting the Fight w/Michael Boldin
Michael Boldin of The Tenth Amendment Center joined me to discuss moving local communities in such a way that the local legislation nullifies federal powers and enforcement. Michael Boldin Twitter Tenth Amendment Center Libertarian Institute 19 Skills Pdf Autonomy Course Critical Thinking Course Donate Patreon...
OSHA’s Vaccine Mandate Was Never Possible
On November 18, 2021 OSHA suspended enforcement of the Biden administration's vaccine mandate. According to a CBS News report, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will rely heavily on informants to help enforce the federal vaccine mandate. More significantly, the report asserts the federal government will have to rely on snitches because OSHA lacks the personnel to enforce the mandate itself. According to the report, the U.S. Department of Labor “will need a lot of help” enforcing the vaccine mandate. “Yet its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)...
Is the GOP Finally Turning the Corner on Weed?
Both Bloomberg and the cannabis industry publication Marijuana Moment now report that Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace is preparing to introduce new legislation ending the federal prohibition on marijuana. According to Bloomberg: A Republican bill to legalize marijuana at the federal level in the U.S., expected to be unveiled soon, would have a lighter regulatory touch [and] lower taxes…“It would largely delegate regulatory powers to the existing state governments,” said Brady Cobb, a board member of Captor Capital, an Irvine, California-based operator of dispensaries, who saw the...
5/20/21 Pete Quinones on All the Best Libertarian Podcasts You Should Be Following
Scott and Pete Quinones talk about all the other libertarian and antiwar podcasts you should be listening to. Some are big names that every libertarian needs to know about, others are lesser-known up-and-comers that need all the support we can give them. Discussed on the show: "Pete | The Libertarian Institute" (The Libertarian Institute) "Conflicts of Interest | The Libertarian Institute" (The Libertarian Institute) "Year Zero on Apple Podcasts" (Apple Podcasts) The Tom Woods Show "Part Of The Problem" (GaS Digital Network) "Anti-Neocon Report" (Google Podcasts) "Ron Paul Liberty Report"...
A Bill To Reject Unconstitutional Executive Orders Passes South Dakota House Committee
Today, a South Dakota House committee passed a bill that would create a mechanism to review presidential executive orders and end state cooperation with enforcement of certain orders determined to violate the U.S. Constitution. This process would set the stage to nullify some executive orders in effect in South Dakota. Rep. Aaron Aylward (R-Harrisburg), along with 16 Republicans, introduced House Bill 1194 (HB1194) on Feb. 1. Under the proposed law with an amendment passed today, the state legislature’s executive board would be required to review any executive order issued by the...
Joe Biden’s Phony Limits on Police Militarization
According to a CNN report, President Joe Biden plans to reinstate Obama-era limits on a federal police militarization program. While this sounds like progress toward ending the militarization of local police departments, the Obama limits were little more than window-dressing. Through the federal grant programs such as the 1033 program, local police departments procure military-grade weapons. Police can also get military equipment through the Department of Homeland Security via the (DHS) “Homeland Security Grant Program.” The DHS doles out over $1 billion in counterterrorism funds to...