The States' role in saving the Republic

I have long seen the nation's desperate need for a full legislative audit of all federal laws, regulations, policies, agencies, and judicial rulings to identify and eliminate everything the federal government does that exceeds the Constitutional limits placed on it. Considering myself a pessimistic, yet pragmatic person, I don't see Congress or the President or the Federal Courts accepting that obligation any time soon.

It is obvious that few politicians at the federal level have any understanding of, or any intention to live up to, their sworn duty to support and defend the US Constitution:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

Fortunately, the nation’s founders wisely provided the nation with an additional form of separation of powers: the sovereign States.

James Madison said, "The State Legislatures will jealously and closely watch the operations of this Government, and be able to resist with more effect every assumption of power, than any other power on earth can do; and the greatest opponents to a Federal Government admit the State Legislatures to be sure guardians of the people's liberty."

After decades of slumber, it appears that the legislatures of several of the States, including Utah, are finally awakening to their vital role in protecting the People from an oppressive central government and to their oath to also to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States." Part of this movement is Utah HB 76, the “Federal Law Evaluation and Response Act."

HB 76 will define "federal law" as all federal legislation; presidential executive orders; and agency action, regulations or policies and establish a standard and process for review and evaluation of all federal law in for compliance with the powers specifically enumerated in Article I, section 8 of the US Constitution and further limited by the 9th and 10th Amendments to the Constiution.

The nation, the State, and the People desperately need all State legislators in every State to stand up to the federal government. Every Utah legislator must support and vote for HB 76.