The great H1N1 epidemic is a fizzle regardless government’s effort to create a crisis. Another infection, the10-A, is sweeping America at a faster rate, yet ironically its spread is kept hush-hush. Politicians in control of the Whitehouse and Congress fear a widespread 10-A outbreak could bankrupt their freshly minted nationalized healthcare program before they can redistribute new tax money to their pet voting blocks. It would be pure tragedy for socialists to see their 2000 page, $1.4 trillion dollar redistribution program destroyed by a simple 10-A infection, the causative agent of which was identified over 220 years ago.

If you don’t remember, this recent 10-A infection (MT-HB246 strain) was first identified in Montana on January 22nd, of 2009. An extensive effort was made to quarantine this outbreak, but this virulent agent infected 12 of 18 legislators in room 137, before escaping to the House Chamber. By April 15th, 85 Representatives, 29 Senators and Governor Schweitzer were carriers.

Many in the Center for Disease Control thought this 10-A flare up was just an anomaly so it was ignored. However, much to their chagrin, it popped up in Tennessee in May, quickly spreading to a majority of their legislators. In fear, Tennessee’s Governor Bredesen abandoned his office and let their 10-A infection (TN-HB1796 strain) escape his state without him offering his opinion.

Variations of this 10-A infection have been identified in 15 different states, most recently being this week’s intriguing outbreak in New Hampshire. (It gives me patriotic chills to read how the infection is incubating in New Hampshire.)

If my terminology is too evasive, let me explain: The acronym 10-A refers to the “Tenth Amendment” to our beloved US Constitution. In 1789 our founding fathers had the foresight to specifically write “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 to the people.” (Very simply federal government, if it isn’t in there, you can’t do it.)

Since ratification of our Constitution, the federal government has consistently grabbed power beyond their legal limits. Until January 22, 2009 in Helena, the states had been negligently quiet. Montana’s Firearms Freedom Act, HB246, was our shot across the bow of the federal government we will no longer allow their loose interpretation of the interstate commerce clause to infringe on the Second Amendment rights of Montanans. Since then, Tennessee, Utah, Alaska, Kentucky, Texas, Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and now New Hampshire have joined us in one form or another.

New Hampshire’s pending “Tenth Amendment” legislation goes so far as to levy felony charges against federal agents who try to enforce gun control laws the New Hampshire legislature has deemed unconstitutional. Their county sheriffs suddenly become the sole elected officials standing between free citizens and an oppressive federal government. That is huge…and exactly how and why the Constitution was written.

New Hampshire’s twist of the 10-A makes we Montana politicians look like a bunch of pansies. I guess us Treasure State legislators will have to step it up a notch in the 2011 session, but it is great to see other states drawing a line and telling the federal government they best not cross it.