(h/t Americans for Prosperity New Jersey Chapter)

There are times when, in order to make a point regarding a piece of legislation, one must simply quote those who have already spoken on the matter.

“The time has come for the governor to take a principled stand against ObamaCare and to protect the rights of every New Jersey citizen to make their own health care choices.

“Furthermore, the governor has an obligation to protect our state’s sovereignty against this federal power grab.  The states created the federal government, not the other way around.  Where the federal government excess its enumerated powers and infringes on states’ rights, the governor has an obligation to say ‘no’

“The governor needs to act.  By law, this cannot wait until the Supreme Court hands down its decision two months from now.  The governor must veto this bill now and let the people of New Jersey know once and for all where he stands on ObamaCare.” – Mike Proto, Communications Director, Americans for Prosperity, New Jersey Chapter

The New Jersey Chapter of the Tenth Amendment Center echoes Americans for Prosperity’s sentiments on this important issue facing our state.  Americans for Prosperity is urging its 64,000 New Jersey citizens in a recent article to sign a petition urging Governor Christie to veto the New Jersey Health Benefits Act , A2171, which would set up ObamaCare’s health care exchanges in New Jersey.

In a recent town hall meeting in South Plainfield, Governor Christie stated he would veto legislation that surrendered New Jersey’s constitutional authority and sovereignty to the federal government.  This bill would do just that.  In addition to putting your own signature on AFP’s petition, contact the governor’s office directly.  Send your own e-mails, letters and faxes.  Call the governor’s office at 609-292-6000 and politely but firmly tell the governor’s staff this is one of those pivotal moments in which he can, with the stroke of the veto pen, defend the liberty and sovereignty of his fellow New Jerseyans.

Most of the Tenth Amendment Center‘s efforts since its founding have been focused on opposing the federal government’s usurpation of state, local and individual powers. There are certainly plenty of actions on the part of the federal government in the past century that could fall under that category, with both major parties sharing culpability. Unconstitutional wars, the war on drugs, massive government expansion into health care, education, agriculture…the list could go on and on. However, another threat to local, state and even national sovereignty comes from the international community, specifically the United Nations.

Coming out of the 1992 Rio Summit, Agenda 21 seeks to increase the UN’s power over areas of life ranging from farming practices to housing, all under the guise of environmentally sustainable development. What Agenda 21 really amounts to is a threat to private property rights, free markets and local self-government. Ironically, many towns have been gradually implementing Agenda 21 at the local level through ICLEI, which is an organization of local governments for sustainability. Like many power grabs, it is presented as being for the good of the people, but if one looks at the results of centralization of power at the national level, much less the international level, it is difficult to believe their rhetoric about saving the earth will yield any environmental benefit.

Even the establishment in the Republican Party recently came out with a resolution condemning Agenda 21. Like most good things in American life, however, this did not come about through a massive top-down effort from the Republicans in Congress. It was due to pressure from grassroots organizations, a pressure which has begun to have an effect at the state level.

The social networking sites are abuzz with bits on the push back against Agenda 21 from the bottom up. The Facebook page for Tea Party of Middlesex County, NJ (h/t Beth Kercado) recently shared a link regarding a bill introduced in the New Hampshire House. HB 1634 would ban participation, funding of, or receiving grants from ICLEI within the State of New Hampshire. The bill is currently in committee in the House. While this bill still has a long way to go before final passage, it should be noted that even when certain state sovereignty legislation fails to pass in New Hampshire, other states often take up similar issues in their legislatures, as happened in 2009 with the massive push for Tenth Amendment Resolutions across the country.

While no bill of this type exists in New Jersey, there was a time when no such bill existed in New Hampshire either. Our legislators need to hear from us, and the message must be clear. The agenda of the UN is one of control. Ours needs to be freedom and property rights.

Two pieces of legislation have been reintroduced in the 2012-3 legislative session of the New Jersey State Senate, and they need your support if they are to have more success than they did in the previous session. Both deal with the Transportation Security Administration’s intrusive procedures adopted at airports in the past year.

The first, SR12 (SR91 in the previous session), is a non-binding resolution urging the TSA to terminate its recent changes to its pat-down procedures and has bipartisan support. The Primary Sponsor is Michael J. Doherty (R-23). Co-sponsors are:

Diane B. Allen (R-7)

Richard J. Codey (D-27)

Steven V. Oroho (R-24)

Jeff Van Drew (D-1)

The previous legislative session had a similar resolution in the General Assembly (AR127), but so far there is no record of a companion bill. It is important to get this resolution reintroduced in this year’s session as well, so contact your Assemblymen/women to get things in motion there.

The second, S277 (S2509 in the previous session), specifies that certain images generated by body scans violate State statutes prohibiting invasion of privacy, pornography and endangerment of child welfare under certain circumstances. A federal, state or local agent found in violation of this bill if it becomes a law would not be considered immune from civil or criminal liability resulting from the creation of such an image. If found guilty, such an agent would be subject to fines, punitive damages and other “equitable relief as the court determines to be appropriate.” Senators Doherty and Allen are the Primary Sponsors, and Senator Van Drew is once again a Co-sponsor. So far, no companion bill is in the Assembly, nor was there one in the previous legislative session.

If your State Senators are Sponsors or Co-sponsors of this legislation, please be sure to thank them. If not, contact them and firmly, but politely, urge them to Co-sponsor SR12 and S277. Our freedom of movement is at stake.

To find your State Legislators’ contact information, go to the New Jersey Legislature’s site and click on “Contact Us” on the menu at the top of the screen. You will be directed to select your Municipality, which will direct you to your officials’ contact information in the Assembly and Senate.