A Sad Day for Individual Liberty

By Amy Sinclair

June 28, 2012, was a sad day for individual liberty in America.

The fundamental issue that the Supreme Court had to consider was this: To what extent can the government tell the people what they must do? What – if any – limiting principle says to legislators, “This far and no further? Your writ to interfere in the lives of citizens, no matter how noble your intentions, stops here.”

Five members of the Court thought that the line had not been crossed. It matters little that they cited the power to tax instead of the Commerce Clause as granting such extraordinary authority. What matters is that they saw fit to find such a pernicious authorization anywhere.

A while back, a leading Democrat – I think it was Nancy Pelosi – said that when the Supreme Court speaks, “It’s as if God has spoken.” She did not mean, as one might guess, that a great many Democrats either snicker or ignore it. She meant that they were the final word. She was wrong as usual.

In America, it may take awhile, but the people are the final word. Five out of nine is a pathetic statistic stacked up against the 60 percent of Americans who consistently say that they want his very bad law repealed. And here is the best part: we don’t need flintlocks, or even pitchforks. All we need is our ballots, and the temerity to correct the actions of our supposed betters.

Are you tired of being pushed around by out-of-touch legislators in safe seats? Tired of being dictated to by messianic community organizers with delusions of adequacy? Tired of being sold out by black-robed deities with lifetime appointments? Well, then go to bed early on November 5^th, because on the 6^th we all have a job to do.

Amy Sinclair is county supervisor in Wayne County (Iowa) and the Republican candidate for Iowa State Senate in Senate District 14.