State Republicans join sovereignty movement

Some Tennessee Republican lawmakers are trying to put the state at the forefront of a national state sovereignty movement, but one Democratic leader says their effort is “lunacy.’’
In a meeting last month that was first reported by The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal, a recently created legislative committee voted to send a letter to other state Legislatures asking them to join a “joint working group... to enumerate the abuses of authority by the federal government and to seek repeal of the assumption of powers and the imposed mandates.’’
Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, sponsored the resolution passed by lawmakers earlier this year that creates the special committee. The panel has five Republican members and one Democrat.
Only one other state has adopted a “state sovereignty’’ resolution pushed by conservatives.
The letter from Lynn, who is running for state Senate, lashes out at several initiatives of President Barack Obama, including a proposed health care overhaul pending before Congress.
“The role of our American government has been blurred, bent, and breached,’’ Lynn states. “The rights endowed to us by our creator must be restored.’’
However, Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the Republicans’ plan “is nothing short of lunacy.’’
“The Tea Party organizers and their ultra-right wing cronies began this ridiculous issue to disrupt civil debate about how to move this state and nation forward,’’ Forrester said. “Instead of focusing on real issues that concern most Tennesseans, these legislators are more concerned about grandstanding and how to divide us.’’ Last week, Tennessee Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey announced that he has joined efforts to uphold the Firearms Freedom Act, which was overwhelmingly approved by the recent General Assembly.
Ramsey, R-Blountville, said he’s supplying a letter in support of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed on almost identical legislation in Montana to validate the principles and terms of the law.
The measure asserts that if a firearm or ammunition is made totally within the state of Tennessee, and stamped “Made in Tennessee,’’ then the federal government has no jurisdiction over that item as long as it remains in-state and outside of interstate commerce.
“Tennesseans are tired of continued encroachment of the federal government on state’s rights,’’ Ramsey said. “That encroachment is escalating at an alarming rate.’’