Governor`s Travels, by Gov. Angus King: on Government Reform


States Rights: code for 1840s slavery; & 1950s segregation

In the 1840s, you'll find passages eerily similar to what we're hearing today, complete with references to the Second and Tenth Amendments, enumerated powers, the right of secession, and even the Boston Tea Party. I came of age in the South in the 1950s, when exactly the same (and I mean EXACTLY THE SAME) arguments and impassioned rhetoric poured forth in response to the rising tide of the civil rights movement. Yes, the Civil War was about "states' rights," but not as an abstract principle, as some woul argue. It was about a state's right to maintain slavery. Period. If you don't believe me, google "South Carolina Secession Declaration."

By the same token, everyone (on both sides of the civil rights debate) understood that all the state's rights-Tenth Amendment-tyranny of the 1950s federal government rhetoric wasn't being deployed in the service of some abstract principle of federalism: it was all about a state's right to maintain segregation. Period.

And now we're hearing it all again.

Source: Governor`s Travels, by Gov. Angus King, p. 47 Aug 16, 2011

  • The above quotations are from Governor`s Travels

    by Gov. Angus King.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Angus King on Government Reform.
Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:

Retiring Senate as of Jan. 2013:
AZ:Kyl(R)
CT:Lieberman(D)
HI:Akaka(D)
ME:Snowe(R)
ND:Conrad(D)
NE:Nelson(D)
NM:Bingaman(D)
TX:Hutchison(R)
VA:Webb(D)
WI:Kohl(D) 		Retiring House to run for other office:

Running for President:
TX-14:Ron Paul(R)

Running for Mayor:
CA-51:Bob Filner(D)

Running for Governor:
IN-6:Mike Pence(R)
WA-1:Jay Inslee(D) 		Retiring House to run for Senate:
AZ-6:Jeff Flake(R)
CT-5:Chris Murphy(R)
FL-14:Connie Mack(R)
HI-2:Mazie Hirono(D)
IN-2:Joe Donnelly(D)
MO-2:Todd Akin(R)
MT-0:Dennis Rehberg(R)
ND-0:Rick Berg(D)
NM-1:Martin Heinrich(D)
NV-1:Shelley Berkley(D)
NY-9:Bob Turner(R)
WI-2:Tammy Baldwin(D)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Mar 03, 2013