Michael Maharrey

I've decided I'm going to take a new approach to political activism. Instead of writing and speaking, you know, putting together reasoned arguments with facts and logic, I'm going to just start punching people that disagree with me. Apparently, in Tennessee state Senator Brian Kelsey's bizarre little world, this an acceptable way to "settle" disputes,..

On March 10, 2013, I spoke at the Tennessee Rally Against Obamacare in Nashville. I talked about the limited nature of federal authority and a state's duty when faced with a federal government exercising unconstitutional powers. "I'm going to put it very simply. There is no enumerated power for the federal government to run a..

My testimony before the Tennessee State Senate Judiciary Committee in support of SB0250 on February 27, 2013 Hello, my name is Michael Maharrey. I’m the national communications director for the Tenth Amendment Center. I’m honored to be here. As you know, in the opinion of Attorney Gen. Robert Cooper, SB 250 violates the supremacy clause..

The following I wrote and submitted to the Colorado House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs in support of HB13-1045. The legislation would block federal indefinite detention without due process in Colorado. The Tenth Amendment Center began championing state interposition to block federal kidnapping powers written in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012..

Do you remember when you were in school and all of the “cool” popular kids made fun of the nerdy smart kid? Everybody pointed and laughed. Even the “non-cool” kids would pile on, in the hope that making fun of the hapless geek would elevate their own social status a notch. Of course, today that..

Note: This piece was originally written to counter anti-nullfication talking points in South Carolina. Nullification is historically, morally and philosophically the rightful remedy Doesn’t the Supremacy Clause make state nullification unconstitutional? No. The Supremacy Clause reads: This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; …shall be the..

I recently participated on a round-table discussion on the Tenth Amendment, political sovereignty, delegation of power and nullification on a talk show in Indiana. The panel consisted of me, two left-leaning lawyers and a right-leaning lawyer. I took two interesting observations away with me. Most telling was the fact that both of the lefties and..

Have you ever tried to play a board game with a bunch of people who don’t really know the rules? Things usually start out OK, until somebody makes a questionable move. Then the arguments start, and things go downhill from there. Each player begins throwing out opinions and rule interpretations – all based on their..

Thursday marked the beginning of the 113th session of Congress, kicking off with Congress-critter swear-in day. All of the House members and one-third of the Senate took their oaths of office at noon. I wonder if a Guiness Book of World Record category exists for most people simultaneously telling a lie  in one place? But..