Did you hear it? It was the thumping sound of a gauntlet striking the ground. Sunday, March 21st, 2010 is a day that will live in infamy with days like December 7th, 1941, and September 11th, 2001. Our great American experiment in freedom has suffered a devastating blow from the destructive progressive movement; the evil from within.

Ignoring the consent of the governed and contrary to our constitution, progressives controlling Congress utilized questionable parliamentary techniques to force nationalized health care. By the time this column is printed, President Obama will have signed the bill into law.

More than just our responsibility, now it is the obligation of state legislatures to nullify this tyrannical grab of power by the federal government. For far too long the states have passively surrendered power for manna from the federal treasury. That stops right now. If you have been told the “Supremacy Clause” of the US Constitution enables federal law to always trump state law, you have been purposely misinformed. The “Supremacy Clause” only applies when state law violates a power specifically delegated to the federal government by the Constitution. Such authority, with respect to forcing citizens to buy a product like health insurance, simply does not exist. For there to be the balance of power our founders so desired, states must stand up.

As of today, 34 states have, or are preparing to, introduce legislation to block the implementation of nationalized health care within their borders. Such legislation failed in six states in 2009 and in another six states in 2010. It is still in the process in another 23 and three states (AZ, ID and VA), have signed this protective legislation into law. (Arizona’s law is a constitutional amendment that will go before the voters for approval this fall.)

If nationalized health care infects our nation with the exception of the three states who successfully blocked its implementation, expect a giant sucking sound of medical personnel moving their practices to those three states. They will become your last hope when health care bureaucrats deem you are too aged or infirmed to warrant treatment.

As Montana’s legislature does not convene until January of 2011, e-mails are buzzing amongst those of us in the Liberty Caucus to consider a special session as soon as possible. Our health care freedom amendment has been drafted so a very short session could quickly get it to the governor’s desk if he would sign it.

The gauntlet is down so either fight or get out of the way of those of us willing to do so. The line is drawn!