LETTERS
To the Editor:

If there was ever any doubt about the federal government's propensity to usurp powers not authorized by the US Constitution, President Bush's State Of The Union (SOTU) address on Monday (1/28/2008) answered that question. The Constitution is the document by which "We The People" confer powers to the federal government, not vice versa; and as a reminder, the Tenth Amendment, the final provision of the Bill of Rights, reads, "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 the people." Mr. Bush stood this principle on its head by announcing various ways he expected the government to invest the people with power. For example, he mentioned the need to empower homeowners; to empower patients and doctors; to empower parents; to empower American workers; to empower American researchers and entrepreneurs (this one even brought him a round of applause!); to empower scientists and engineers; and to empower medical researchers. The word "empower" means to invest with power, and in the republic designed by our Founding Fathers, "empowering" was supposed to be the prerogative of the people, not the federal government. Unfortunately, by our apathy over the years, we have allowed the tables to be turned. As Thomas Jefferson warned us, "The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and for government to gain ground." Until we shake off our apathy, we can expect more usurpations.

Cordially, Chuck Esposito

Suches, Ga.