Utah lawmakers form caucus to protect states' rights

What do you do with a gas-guzzling, rickety, dangerous clunker? At some point, you have no choice but get rid of it.

Precisely what more people say about the District of Corruption. DC's inept meddling continues because of its monopoly on power -- and the people's tacit consent. And every day, more of that consent dissolves. This report from Utah is just the latest example of that mood establishing itself within the machinery of local government:

Claiming that the federal government has long overstepped its bounds and fearing the worst is yet to come, a handful of Utah lawmakers is leading the charge to reclaim states' rights. ...

The Patrick Henry Caucus of the Utah Legislature will be launched later this week to promote legislation -- and legal challenges -- to rein in an "overwhelmingly aggressive federal government," said Rep. Ken Sumsion, R-American Fork.

More recently, state lawmakers complained about strings attached to so-called stimulus money, though in most cases that didn't stop them from taking it in the face of economic recession.

"I don't have a real good answer to that other than to say I think things are coming to a head now," said Holly Richardson, a prominent political activist and blogger who is helping to promote the new caucus.

Legislation from the caucus could include bills similar to a gun law passed in Montana that says guns made and purchased in that state don't fall under federal restrictions, she said.

"They see the wave of the future and the wave of the future is a whole lot of discontent and a whole lot of active people," she said.

Say it again, sister.