The Law: An Intro from the Founders to Frederic Bastiat

In his 1850 essay The Law, Bastiat railed against socialism, and argued that legitimate law isn’t just the will of politicians, but instead is based on protecting the natural rights of individuals. You can see inspiration in these views from Locke, Jefferson, Paine and more.

The post The Law: An Intro from the Founders to Frederic Bastiat first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

George Washington: “It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” Thomas Jefferson: “Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto.”

The post No Permanent Alliances: Foreign Policy of Washington and Jefferson first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

From Samuel Adams and Thomas Jefferson to Lysander Spooner - the notion that the people should submit until they can replace enough politicians to stop the government from doing what the government was never authorized to do in the first place - is only a guarantee that they'll never stop, and it'll keep getting worse.

The post The Failed Strategy of “Vote the Bums Out” is Making Things Even Worse first appeared on Tenth Amendment ...

Jefferson's chilling warnings about unchecked fiat, paper money printing proved prophetic as the U.S. plunged into its first boom-bust economic crisis in the early 19th century.

The post Thomas Jefferson’s Prediction of Economic Meltdown and Its Relevance Today first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

With some of his sharpest satire and wit, Franklin told the British the top-20 ways their policies would bring their empire over the American colonies to an end. Much of it sounds pretty familiar to what we face today.

The post Benjamin Franklin’s Rules for Bringing Down Empires first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

86 years and a day before the "shot heard 'round the world" - the people of Boston and surrounding towns rose up and overthrew the royal governor in a dispute that started over tax resistance to arbitrary power.

The post Tax Resistance and the Birth of American Independence first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

April 12, 1776 - the first official action by one of the colonies in full support of declaring independence. The Halifax Resolves were also the first example of a colony-wide assembly admitting that reconciliation with the British was no longer an option.

The post First for Independence: The Halifax Resolves of 1776 first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Since 2011 - a combination of state laws and human action has built what is likely the most robust foundation for the advancement of gold and silver as money in the United Sates.

The post Sound Money Success: The Utah Case Study first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Supporting one version of an unconstitutional government program over another - because it seems to be the "least offensive" option - is not only what leading founders called a "fatal error," but it also sets a precedent for more of the same, and worse.

The post A Fatal Error: A Single Step is a Step Too Far first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Originally implemented by the IRS - gun-control advocates want to use "Merchant Category Codes" to track purchases of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition. But the state-level 2nd Amendment Financial Privacy Act has shut those plans downs - at least for now.

The post Firearm Financial Privacy: Nullification Status Report first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

For more than a decade, starting in 2013, the Utah legislature has incrementally built some of the most robust privacy protections in the country with a step-by-step approach. Over that time, Utah chipped away at the surveillance state, passing at least eight separate laws limiting surveillance.

The post Case Study: Utah vs the Surveillance State first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Responding to the Coercive Acts of 1774 - the "Intolerable Acts" - the old revolutionaries were organized, coordinated - and very strategic in their approach. We'd do well to learn what they considered essential elements for success.

The post 3 Key Elements from the American Revolution for Successful Nullification Today first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Consolidation - we were warned - would guarantee a destruction of liberty. But many founders seemed to believe they could pull off a “proper” or “partial” consolidation and not get a system of “unremitted despotism.”

The post Did the Founders Ignore their own Warnings on Consolidation? first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

In yet another example of the government rejecting founding principles by working to bring businesses under federal control, the DOJ and 16 state attorneys general accused Apple of violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act, a “law” allowing the government to intervene against companies said to be acting "in restraint of trade or commerce."

The post Bully Government Bullies Apple first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Warning that some federalists were fakes who really wanted a totally consolidated system, Federal Farmer makes the case that too few representatives, coupled with a lack of clarity over the bounds of power, would lead to a system based on force rather than consent

The post Force vs Freedom: Anti-Federalist Federal Farmer No. 6-7 first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

It’s a trap! - tacitly accepting a collectivist gun grabber view of the 2nd Amendment to oppose the Defend the Guard Act.

The post The Gun Grabber Argument Against Defend the Guard first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

One of the most abused and misused clauses of the Constitution - and also one of the most ambiguous, even at the time of the founding - the so-called “sweeping clause.”

The post Constitution 101: Necessary and Proper Clause first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Born March 16, 1751 - the “father of the Constitution” had plenty to say about the system he was so influential in creating - and how to enforce it when the government gets out of line.

The post Hidden Gems: James Madison’s Top-12 Quotes on the Constitution first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Racking up more wins for the constitution and liberty - the latest news from the 10th Amendment and nullification movement in the states.

The post Gold, Guns, CBDC and Prohibition: Nullification Movement News first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.

Federal Farmer warned that liberty under the constitution would depend primarily on the worst of all possible checks, “the prudence, wisdom and moderation of those who manage the affairs of government.”

The post Undefined Power: Anti-Federalist Federal Farmer No. 4-5 first appeared on Tenth Amendment Center.