re: If I can be arrested for harboring a fugitive, why can a city get away with it?

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So you're saying that Northern states should have returned runaway slaves?

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That's a silly thing to say. Northern States were a part of the Federal Government. Now, if you are talking about prior to the Emancipation Proclamation? yes. They should have because that is the law. After the Emancipation Proclamation? No, because the slaves had been freed. You do not select which laws you want to obey or not obey. If you don't agree with a law then you have to change the law through the legal process. Are you saying every single individual has the right to defy laws based on their own likes or dislikes?

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That's a silly thing to say. Northern States were a part of the Federal Government.

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Now, if you are talking about prior to the Emancipation Proclamation? yes.

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That's exactly what I'm talking about.

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WHy should local government spend resources doing what the federal government should be doing? I would think this would be the epitome of states rights issues...

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Because....it is the law? I thought that was obvious.
The problem becomes acute when the states inhibit the federal government from enforcing the law.

Liberals jump all over it when a state tries to inhibit abortions, because, well...it is the law!
Hypocrisy much?

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Now, if you are talking about prior to the Emancipation Proclamation? yes.



That's exactly what I'm talking about.

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Then they should follow the law. Are you advocating people and states choosing which laws they want to enforce and ignoring the ones they do not like?

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committed a violent crime,

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Is there any evidence that violent criminals are being protected? The article uses the word "violent" many times.

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Because....it is the law? I thought that was obvious.
The problem becomes acute when the states inhibit the federal government from enforcing the law.

Liberals jump all over it when a state tries to inhibit abortions, because, well...it is the law!
Hypocrisy much?

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Is it a state or local law or a federal law that states and local governments must use their own resources to enforce federal laws? It is a serious question. I seem to recall Sherriff Arpaio (sp ?) asking why Maricopa County (sp ?) should foot the bill to do the work that the federal government was being paid to do. It is a legitimate concern, especially considering that a large part of the border falls in some pretty damn poor counties with almost no tax base...