Campfield has introduced SB411, the "Tennessee Balance of Powers Act."
This law sets up a state commission to determine if federal regulations are constitutional. If a regulation fails the test, the law authorizes the state to sue the federal government in the U.S. Supreme Court and to put the federal government on notice. Campfield's version also includes penalties for any federal agents attempting to enforce any nullified law, including arrest and imprisonment. Federal agents who arrest or detain suspects can be charged with kidnapping.
This source of the legislation, which has also been introduced in Mississippi and maybe some other states, is apparently the U.S. Patriot Union "North American Law Center." (Here's the boilerplate, and here's their website.)
Someone told me the other day that Campield allegedly once had a contest with a local county commissioner to see who could introduce the most bizarre, outrageous legislation. If true, Campfield has clearly won, but nobody told him game over.
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Article VI, Supremacy clause.
Article VI, Supremacy clause. Done and dusted.
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.
CAMPFIELD: STOP. WASTING. EVERYONE'S. TIME.
What was it about reducing welfare payments to failing students? How about docking paychecks for every piece of prima facie bullshit that this drooling moron enters into the record?
Let's see now, how many more
Let's see now, how many more moronic bills does he get before he reaches his quota for this session and is it possible that some of his fellow idiots can file fewer and thereby give their balance to him?
I think that's a House rule
(in reply to redmondkr)
I think that's a House rule and not a Senate rule.
Oh, Gawd, yer right!
(in reply to Andy Axel)
Oh, Gawd, yer right!
Since bills have to have
(in reply to Andy Axel)
Since bills have to have sponsors in both chambers, a bill limit on the House is a limit on the Senate.
Not really. Campy can find
(in reply to Bbeanster)
Not really. Campy can find different sponsors to originate his bills. The origination limit only functionally applies to House members.
ETA: Note that SB411 currently does not have a house sponsor. That doesn't prevent Campfield from entering it into the docket.
Colbert takes down
Colbert takes down nullification last Tuesday. (link...)
This bill should get a lot of jobs coming to TN.
Campfield is grandstanding again. What a surprise.
This is brilliant...
(link...)
This law sets up a state
This law sets up a state commission to determine if federal regulations are constitutional.
So I guess we no longer need the Supreme Court?
Sheesh.
Again, supremacy clause. How
(in reply to Rachel)
Again, supremacy clause.
How is it that I know more about the constitution than all of these self-anointed strict constructionist types out there?
(We already have such commissions, anyway. They're called "courts.")
SCOTUS never gets 'em wrong .. do they ?
(in reply to Rachel)
heck, I'm sure that Dred Scott will back me up on that one.
Interesting thread. By interesting, I mean amusing.
SCOTUS is not perfect.
(in reply to jcc)
Fortunately, the decisions of the Supreme Court are not carved into stone. As Justice Holmes once noted, "The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience." American jurisprudence is a living thing, and decisions like Dred Scott are subject to being overturned by amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In addition, the Supreme Court has the ability to reconsider past holdings, which is what happened in Brown v. Board of Education, when SCOTUS specifically repudiated the separate, but equal doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson.
I'm hoping, one day, for a similar repudiation of Citizens United.
Doesn't matter if SCOTUS
(in reply to jcc)
Doesn't matter if SCOTUS "gets 'em wrong." Unless you think they got Marbury v. Madison wrong, they get to decide.
Stacey is no rocket surgeon.
Stacey is no rocket surgeon.
Here is Mississippi's
Here is Mississippi's bill.
Campfield's is even more extreme than theirs.
As a reminder to the masses:
(in reply to metulj)
As a reminder to the masses: Keep an eye out for the rest of the legislative docket. If Campfield is smoke-screening this heavily, there must be a real turd in the works.
One possible item is the repeal of the Hall Tax (SB0004). I wonder how the fiscal accountability crew plans to reconcile the donut hole in the books for that one (my guess would be closing the voluntary compliance with Internet sales & use tax loophole). Maybe SB0035, which "prohibits local governments from mandating health insurance benefits, leave policies, hourly wage standards or prevailing wage standards that deviate from state statutorily imposed standards on private employers." Perhaps SB0053: "allows designated types of developments to adhere to the development standards that were in effect when the developments were approved."
Maybe SB0076: "limits to 15 the number of handgun carry permit records that can be reproduced in a single day; authorizes receipt of compilation of handgun carry permit records if such compilation will not be published." (guess who)
Campfield also has some bills
(in reply to Andy Axel)
Campfield also has some bills limiting eminent domain for blighted properties.
...a crime with a life
(in reply to metulj)
...a crime with a life sentence with no chance of parole for a legislator to introduce a bill that is later determined to be prima facie unconstitutional...
I'd be happy if it required them to reimburse the state monetarily for all taxpayer costs of considering such frivolous legislation. Call it the Frivolous Bill Taxpayer Waste Compensation Bill.
Left Wing Cracker: Everyone
Left Wing Cracker: Everyone is missing the point on Senator Campfield
What he said. To which I would add, all of this is just a big joke to Campfield. He's a narcissist and only does it to get attention. And it works. Here we are talking about him while he sits and giggles at his monitor.
Cracker, you head the nail on
(in reply to R. Neal)
Cracker, you head the nail on the head, he gets OFF on all of the negative comments that are generated from his outrageous positions.
He does seem impervious to criticism.
(in reply to R. Neal)
And the fact that he is treated with barely concealed contempt by many of members of his own party rolls off his back like water off a duck.
Frankly, I don't see any way he survives a primary challenge or wins another general election with his track record, and I suspect Stacey realizes it, too. So he just doesn't give a shit anymore and is engaging in his own twisted form of Commedia dell'Arte.
Shill Primary "Opponents"
(in reply to Min)
Each election cycle folks have predicted that Racy Stacey won't survive a primary challenge...yet here he is, alas.
If he has a strong opponent, he'll get a fellow nut-job to run also, splitting the anti-Campfield vote among the GOP primary electorate. So far, it's worked like a charm.
I hope that it doesn't happen to Briggs in 2014!
Good thing y'all saved your
Good thing y'all saved your Dixie cups!
The Confederacy is coming back!
It ain't hate, it's heritage!
"I won't go into a room
(in reply to gonzone)
"I won't go into a room unless it's got Southern exposure!"
One other wrinkle
Office holders take an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Stacey's nullification bill, as noted earlier, stands in clear violation of Article VI of that Constitution. Doesn't Stacey's introduction of said bill violate his oath of office?
I'm sure that he thinks that
(in reply to Mark Harmon)
I'm sure that he thinks that this law renders that very service, the intent being that it renders said service more to his liking.
Apparently it's not enough to have Roberts, Alito, Scalia, and Thomas on his side.
Liberals and Democrats should
Liberals and Democrats should be careful not to make a martyr out of Campfield.
As long as Republicans think he adds a vote for the GOP in other elections, they won't dump him. And he is seen as an faithful, anti-liberal vote.
Even Haslam knows this. After all, heard the Governor's voice lately regarding his fellow Knoxvillian?
No.
Wonder why?
Best bet is too let the train gather speed until it leaves the tracks. If you try to slow it down, you'll only make sure it stays on the tracks.
At this speed you shouldn't have long to wait.
Loyalists
It seems Federal Loyalists in the same vein as the British monarchy's supporters prior to the Revolutionary War still abound. Must you cretins always come off as self entitled and whiny? Whatsa matter, skeert you might have to be a little more responsible for yourself than usual?
What's with the Roman Senate Acronym
(in reply to SPQR)
SPQR, your handle belies your arguments, don't ya know?
Anyway, how did those "Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union" work out, sir/madam?!