Dear Editor
What is the proper role of a local government? A quick review of the 9th and 10th Amendments reveals that the States and the People have most of the powers.
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people (9th Amendment)
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 (10th Amendment)
The Federal government’s twenty delegated authorities are enumerated in Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution.
History of Separation of Power
To ensure liberty, the Separation of Power was implemented, which is more than merely separating Legislative, Executive, and Judicial into three branches. It is also vertical, with We the People at the top, followed by Local Governments, then the States, and finally the Federal. The vertical separation of power is also known as Federalism. And it has not been practiced for quite some time.
Despite the 9th and 10th Amendments, the State’s authority is not limitless. As the Federalism model suggests, Local Governments should have more authority than the States, or at least different authorities.
As our nation grew, cities and counties were created. When a city was created, a city charter was prepared to delineate its authority and functions. A city charter is equivalent to a constitution. When new cities were created, they were required to register with the States. The States, in return, demanded that the city charters comply with certain standards. From that point on, cities become the creation of the States, and subservient to the States’ authority. The old, wise council, “Want to make a difference? Get involved in local politics,” was truer in years past. Have you seen local governments go against EPA regulations? What about Covid restrictions from the State and Federal governments? Things have changed, but it wasn’t always so.
When Idaho became a State, it too was required to pattern its Constitution according to a standard established by the Federal Government. The practice of local governments being subservient to the State was established. It was also enshrined in Article XVIII of our State Constitution.
Local Government, County vs. City
There are various terms for local governments: Township, Borough, Ward, Shire, County, City. In Idaho, we have Counties, Cities, and Towns; with Cities and Towns having identical meanings. An internet search regarding the difference between Counties and Cities would likely yield over 1M results. They would define Counties and Cities based on services, tax base, and geography. But, the most important similarity between them is Self-Governance. That is the central message in Federalist number 1, which extends to local governments.
Counties exist so that we, the residents, can govern ourselves. For this reason, Counties are geographically larger. Structurally, within a County, a courthouse, a jailhouse, and a voting place must exist. With the exception of voting places, Cities typically do not have all these infrastructures.
Cities exist to facilitate our lifestyles, such as commerce and industry. A central post office, for example, is typically found in cities. Other than that, they are both Local Governments. The details of Local Governments cannot be discussed in a single article. To further explore the concept of Local Governments, I plan to discuss the roles and responsibilities of the elected county positions (including the Sheriff, Assessor, Coroner, Treasurer, Judges, and Commissioner) in future articles.
5 replies on “The Proper Role of the Local Governments”
Art is a good man. Art is informed and desires to inform others. He has been indispensable doing so in his area when I first met him and it is good to see him preaching this most important message beyond just his area. If you get a chance to talk to him, you will be amazed at what he knows…and what we ourselves should know!
Don’t forget the Declaration of Independence: …to secure [our] rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…
How many fed, state, county, city laws and ordinances are you actually in agreement?
Per the D of I, from time to time, it may be proper to “reset” our gov’t, that is dismiss all elected officials, set aside all constitutional amendments starting with No. 11, all laws and gov’t bureaucracies are dissolved, remind voters of their duty to elect good officials, start again with the original constitution + bill of rights.
Ammon Bundy understands the proper role of government. Not electing him governor is Idaho’s deep loss. See his comments at: https://www.votebundy.com/issue/proper-role-of-government
Unfortunately, most are unaware that each county, city and state are corporations for profit with Dunn & Bradstreet filing numbers. Unconstitutional. Get rid of the programmed media and demand truth be reported! Many of these issues will be resolved with truth. All big media companies are owned or controlled by the inner City of London! Capital ‘C’. https://www.unz.com/lromanoff/the-city-of-london/
Art da Rosa: “A quick review of the 9th and 10th Amendments reveals that the States and the People have most of the powers.”
Of course that’s nothing but pie-in-the-sky wishful dreaming.
But worse, it’s biblically seditious secular humanism, thanks to the 18th-century Enlightenment and Masonic theistic rationalists (aka constitutional framers and founders):
“…In one of his many arguments on behalf of the Constitution, Madison revealed where ultimate power resides in a Constitutional Republic:
‘As the people are the only legitimate fountain of power … it is from them that the constitutional charter under which the [power of the] several branches of government … is derived.’51
“Alexander Hamilton stated it similarly:
‘The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of THE CONSENT OF THE PEOPLE. The streams of national power ought to flow immediately from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority.’52
“This emphasis on the people [or the states] by both the federalists and anti-federalists alike is evidence that they had lost sight of Yahweh and His ultimate authority. Such an emphasis on the people cannot be found anywhere in the Bible. George Washington (who presided over the Constitutional Convention) confirmed this self-originating authority in his “Farewell Address”:
‘This government, the offspring of our own choice uninfluenced and unawed, adopted upon full investigation and mature deliberation, completely free in its principles, in the distribution of its powers, uniting security with energy, and containing within itself a provision for its own amendment, has a just claim to your confidence and support.’53….
“John Adams confessed to the same humanism regarding the States’ Constitutions:
‘It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service [the establishment of the States’ Constitutions] had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the inspiration of Heaven … it will forever be acknowledged that these governments were contrived merely by the use of reason and the senses…. Thirteen governments [of the original states] thus founded on the natural authority of the people alone….’55
“Following are samplings from some of the State Constitutions:
‘…all power is inherent in the people and all free governments are founded on their authority.’ (Pennsylvania, 1790, Article IX, Section II)
‘…no authority shall, on any pretense whatever, be exercised over the people or members of this State, but such as shall be derived from and granted by them [the people].’ (New York, 1777, Article I)
‘…all political power is vested in and derived from the people only.’ (North Carolina, 1776, “Declaration of Rights,” Article I)
‘…power is inherent in them [the people], and therefore all just authority in the institutions of political society is derived from the people.’ (Delaware, 1792, Preamble)
‘All power residing originally in the people and being derived from them, the several magistrates and officers of government vested with authority – whether Legislative, Executive, or Judicial – are their substitutes and agents and are at all times accountable to them.’ (Massachusetts, 1789, part I, Article V)
“A return to the States’ Constitutions and the Articles of Confederation will not solve America’s propensity for humanism….”
For more, see Chapter 3 “The Preamble: We the People vs. Yahweh” of free online book “Bible Law vs. the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective” at https://www.bibleversusconstitution.org/BlvcOnline/blvc-index.html
See also Chapter 18 “Amendment 9: Rights vs. Righteousness.”
Then Chapter 19 “Amendment 10: Counterfeit Powers.”
Find out how much you really know about the Constitution as compared to the Bible. Take our 10-question Constitution Survey in the sidebar and receive a free copy of the 85-page “Primer” of “BL vs. USC.”