Why we MUST focus on the state and local level

(I just posted this on the local We Surround Them message board)

I received the minutes from the meeting last Friday in my email today. I read through it and saw one piece that bothered me enough to want to bring it up. Under the topics discussed, the point was made that:

"Though our future leaders will start locally, we really need to focus on national issues. Things are taking place so quickly in Washington and that's the ball we really need to concentrate on right now."

That really toubles me. First of all, I do not necessarily remember this being discussed at all. At least a discussion on whether Federal issues should take precedence over local issues. I think we have been listening to a statist lie for too long. They believe that all power should be centralized in the federal government, a belief not supported by our nations founding fathers. As result, the federal government is now making decisions dealing with our everyday lives... and as result of this, the focus of political action has moved from the local and state levels to almost 100% on the federal level.

It is worth noting that the 10th Amendment to the Constitution states that "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."

I think this is often overlooked by people. Unless the Federal Government passes an amendment, they have no Constitutional authority to tell us what to do on the state and local levels. We have seen San Francisco recently pass ordinances in direct opposition to federal statues, and though that was just outright beligerence on their part, they still have the right to do so.

The federal government is trampling on state, local, and individual rights, and while the fight in Washington is desperately important, we must remember that we still have the power of the Constitution on our side! We need to put local and state officials into office who will say, "ENOUGH! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR ME AND MY CONSTITUANTS!" Washington is too far gone right now to spend all of our time on it. We need to slowly chip away at it while (in my opinion) spending the majority of our time and energy watching and supporting local and especially state level politicians.