A political column by FC resident Larry Wiwi
If you read the Federalist Papers you would know the Founders expected the states to keep the federal government in check, which is why prior to the really-bad-idea 17th Amendment, Senators were chosen by the state legislatures, not the citizens. Alexander Hamilton said it best in Federalist 85: “We may safely rely on the disposition of the State legislatures to erect barriers against the encroachments of the national authority.”
Unfortunately, I fear most of our state representatives do not realize they have this responsibility since it is a fair bet that few if any have read the Federalist Papers, however State Senator Raatz and Representative Lyness are aware because I have provided the education, but it does not seem to have had any effect. I have written them about our open borders, about the COVID relief bills that moves money from Indiana to liberal states like California and New York, and more recently about the lack of action to ensure Critical Race Theory is never taught in an Indiana school, but so far there is mostly silence and zero action.
Below is my last letter to them, please feel free to copy and use as you see fit, or better still write your own, but we have got to get these leaders to step up and fill their roles as designed.
Dear Senator Raatz and Representative Lyness,
At the end of March, I wrote to both of you reminding you that the states have an important role to play in checking the growth and actions of the federal government and specifically referenced the opening of the borders and the economic impact and safety concerns that result. One of you responded assuring me the state would be taking appropriate action, well dear sirs, with all due respect where is the action? Illegals continue to flood across the border, driving wages down as they are transported around the country, with perhaps as many as 25% covid positive and I see Indiana doing nothing.
More recently I see a few states are taking the appropriate action to ban Critical Race Theory in our schools and again I see nothing from Indiana.
Gentlemen, we are living in extraordinary times, with most of the federal leadership bent on open borders, defunding police, centralizing our elections and other destructive actions designed to impose socialism and the state governments are among our last weapons to defend ourselves.
You really have to think about your roles differently, your biggest challenges are not the usual Indiana state centric issues you typically deal with in Indianapolis, your biggest challenge is how you are going to protect Indiana from the bad policies and over-reach of current day Washington.
Respectfully,
Larry Wiwi