Reader comments
New Patrick Henry Caucus already drafting bills for 2010

Welcome to the Patrick Henry Caucus. While you're at it why not work toward getting the 17th Amendment repealed.

Oh great the next bunch of do gooders caucus is already going to destroy the one bill that was worth anything.

Immigration is the ONLY thing these guys should be worried about. The one thing that is destroying this state's rights are the illegals filling up our schools and hospitals and they are worried about gun rights?

We probably have the highest percentage of concealed weapons permits in the country. We don't need to worry about guns anymore.

Stop grandstanding and hiding behind the Patrick Henry name.

Just get illegal immigration laws enforced. That is what will get us to vote to keep you in office.

Anonymous | 8:27 a.m is correct. This organization is primarily concerned with gun rights, which is all well and good. However, if they really want to protect state rights the enforcement of an enhanced SB-81 would bring on as much of a court fight as anything. For example stop giving birth certificates to the children of illegal aliens. That would bring on a huge court fight on the meaning of the 14th Amendment.

Finally the legislature put no enforcement mechanism in SB-81. The state needs to with hold funds from taxpayer entities in the state that fail to enforce the requirement in SB-81 that contractors that receive taxpayer funds verify that their employees are legal. It would be a great step forward, but not likely. This would also bring on a federal court fight. Better yet require all businesses to verify their employees. This is already legal in Arizona and so anywhere in the 9th Circuit Court. Utah is still waiting a decision of the 10th Circuit Court concerning the Oklahoma 1804 Bill passed last year. Requiring employers to verify employees has also been approved in a Missouri case in the 8th Circuit Court.

Anonymous... you can't restore the Constitution focusing on just one issue. The Caucus is taking this bit by bit, but the concept, states rights, crosses many lines and issues. Immigration is NOT the only thing Utahns should be concerned about; that is a myopic approach. In fact if we stick to one issue, when challenged in the Supreme Court, the decision of that one issue could knock down all others. As stated in the article, cap and trade, gun rights, universal health care, etc., are all issues that should be decided on a state level and will not be unless we push these issues... ALL of them.

States need to recognize that the power is in their hands and in the hands of the people. THAT'S what the whole argument is about... who ultimately has the power... the people or the federal government. It's just not as simple as being about one issue, immigration alone. :)

They say "federal laws would not be enforceable if a Utah coal mine sold its coal to a Utah power plant, which then burned the coal for Utah customers only and sequestered the carbon in Utah soil."

OK, can you wingnuts tell the class just HOW you're going to prevent Utah pollution from escaping over the state line? We're getting polluted air from China right now!

I swear, wingnuts: you've all eaten too much mercury-laced fish.

Maybe you environuts can explain just how the commerce clause give the Fed the authority to dictate pollution standards? I swear, you should try adding a little protein to your diet.

I never realized that the 17th Amendment (providing for the election of U.S. Senators by popular vote rather than legislative selection) was so controversial! But if Patrick Henry doesn't like it, I don't either.

The 17th amendment should be kept at is. Most of the Patrick Henry Caucus members want it to stay.

We all are bent out of shape that the US Supreme court doesn't back the 10th amendment and the US is ignoring it - one of the bill of rights.

There is a reason we have the 17th amendment and it passed all the votes along time ago.

The Patrick Henry Caucus looks like a great tool for American citizens to actually read the Bill of Rights and Constitution. Start local. Pass out pocket Constitutions, Citizen's Hand Book, etc,. Learn and educate others so that more people understand. TODAY!