The Liberty Amendment

Instead of talking about relatively minor issues, not to those with which the federal government has no legitimate business, like the "Gay Marriage" Amendment, Americans should begin speaking out in favor of a renewed debate of the Bricker Amendment, and the Liberty Amendment.

From Downsize DC:

• The 10th Amendment reads:

  The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

  The 10th Amendment had once confined the federal government to only those functions listed in the Constitution -- primarily courts and national defense, and a few other minor functions. But the court-created doctrine of "compelling state interest" opened the flood-gates for politicians to do practically anything they want, with the federal personal income tax providing most of the required funding.

  This means that any attempt to downsize and decentralize government must eliminate the income tax and restore the full power and effect of the 10th Amendment. It must also provide a transition period for the federal government to eliminate and privatize failed programs, and to permit state governments to adopt functions that properly belong in their sphere, prior to ending the income tax.

  The Liberty Amendment does all of these things. The Liberty Amendment reads…

  Section 1: The government of the United States shall not engage in any business, professional, commercial, financial, or industrial enterprise, except as specified in the Constitution.

  Section 2: The constitution or laws of any state, or the laws of the United States, shall not be subject to the terms of any foreign or domestic agreement which would abrogate this amendment.

  Section 3: The activities of the United States government which violate the intent and purposes of this amendment shall, within a period of three years from the date of ratification of this amendment, be liquidated and the properties and facilities affected shall be sold.

  Section 4: Three years after the ratification of this amendment the sixteenth article of amendments to the Constitution of the United States shall stand repealed and thereafter Congress shall not levy taxes on personal incomes, estates, and/or gifts.