Restoring Liberty: The Constitutional Power of the Counties

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The United States Constitution is the cornerstone of our republican form of government, which limits the general government’s roles, responsibilities, powers, property, and jurisdiction to those enumerated in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. Of the 2,000+ Departments and Agencies within the federal government, it’s estimated that less than 50 are Constitutional.

The Constitution was also designed to protect individual liberties, and place the primary government authority at the county level. The Constitution was structured to empower the counties to hold the state legislators accountable to their oath to support and defend the Constitution. The counties are the foundation of all government —where a sovereign people can directly influence their representatives. These constitutional safeguards have been systematically eroded over the past century. If we are to restore our Constitutional Republic, we must begin by reclaiming the role of local government in defending the people’s rights.

Watch Loudoun Liberty’s video, “Restoring Liberty: A Call to Action,” to learn how we can restore our Republic through local engagement:

The Constitutional Role of Counties-A Closer Look

What is paramount today, if we are going to restore our hybrid Constitutional Republic, is restoring the people’s power over their direct government by restoring the architectural and operational structure of our self-government. In other words, we must restore the government where all political energy originates with the people and their direct government, our county government.

Our Declaration of Independence succinctly states that our government is instituted by “We the People”.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.— That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”

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County government is one of America’s most overlooked yet powerful components. The Founders understood that a strong local government is the foundation of a free people. The Tenth Amendment reinforces this by affirming that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people. Counties have the constitutional authority to hold state and federal governments accountable for utilizing only those limited and enumerated powers.

In recent years, we have witnessed a relentless expansion of federal overreach, resulting in higher taxes, overregulation, and a growing disconnect between the people’s will and their government’s actions. Bureaucratic agencies, many of which operate with minimal oversight, have imposed policies that impact every aspect of our lives, including:

Increased taxation and bureaucratic red tape on homes, businesses, land, and schools
Election integrity concerns, including unaudited voting machines and unmonitored drop boxes
Violations of medical freedom through mandates on face coverings, vaccines, and business closures
Unchecked illegal immigration through open-border policies
Widespread surveillance, including the Patriot Act, red-light cameras, and airport facial recognition
Climate change regulations based on false models that lead to excessive taxation and economic restrictions
A national debt surpassing $36 trillion, built on unconstitutional expenditures

The Power of Petition: First Amendment Protections

Clause 5 of the First Amendment affirms the people’s right to petition the government to redress grievances. This right is co-equal to our other bedrock immunities, including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion. Its roots extend back to the Magna Carta and were used extensively by the Colonies to demand equal representation from the Monarchy. Citizens groups all over the country are using this constitutional authority to restore the people’s power over their government.

17 First Amendment petitions have been prepared to be issued to county commissioners and supervisors
These petitions demand local government reject unconstitutional federal and state overreach.
County officials are required to uphold their oaths to support and defend the constitution.

The Framers of the Constitution did not intend for unelected bureaucrats to dictate the lives of American citizens. Instead, they envisioned a government that would remain directly accountable to the people at the most local level. County officials are elected by their neighbors, live within the communities they govern, and should be the first line of defense against state and federal overreach.

Reclaiming the Republic

Just as the colonies asserted their authority over British rule, today’s counties must reclaim their constitutional role in restraining the excesses of centralized power. This movement is growing in states across the country, including:

Wyoming
New York
Washington

History has shown us that when the people are silent, tyranny flourishes. But when the people engage, the government must respond. The Constitution provides the framework, and it is our duty to use it.

“Responsibility is a tremendous engine in a free government” Thomas Jefferson.

A Call to Action

We stand at a crossroads. Will we allow federal overreach to continue unchallenged, or will we rise to restore liberty at the level where the government is closest to the people? The Founders called us to pray, learn, and act for the sake of our Republic and future generations.

To get involved, learn more, and take action in your community, visit Loudoun Liberty: