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When States Were Sovereign, Not Subservient

Article IV was meant to safeguard state sovereignty and equal standing. Today? It’s a federal steamroller crushing what’s left of it.

So, What Did Article IV Actually Set Up?

Let’s cut through the fog and get to the root of Article IV of the U.S. Constitution. This isn’t just some bureaucratic mumbo jumbo, it was a foundational brick in the structure of federalism. After all, the Founders didn’t just toss it in for fun. This article was their blueprint for how states would function together in a union while retaining their distinct, sovereign powers. That’s right, sovereign, as in, each state was meant to operate like its own mini republic, not a subordinate arm of our all-consuming federal overlord.

Let’s walk through the basics:

Section 1 is the “Full Faith and Credit Clause.” It says each state must respect the laws, records, and court decisions of every other state. Sounds fair, right? If you get married in Texas, Nevada doesn’t get to say, “Eh, not here you’re not.”

Section 2 lays out mutual respect for citizens across states. If you're a citizen of Ohio, you should have the same basic rights when you cross into Kentucky. It also includes the Extradition Clause, if someone flees from justice in one state, the other states are supposed to send them back. And yes, it included the fugitive slave clause, which we rightly rejected with the 13th Amendment, but that's not a reason to ignore the rest of it.

Section 3 explains how new states join the Union and ensures that new states get in on the same footing as the original thirteen, not more, not less, equal.

Section 4 is the “Republican Guarantee Clause.” It says every state is guaranteed a republican form of government and that the federal government will protect each one from invasion and, if asked, from internal violence.

Sounds like a pretty solid deal, right? States cooperating, citizens respected, sovereignty upheld, and the feds staying in their lane unless asked to help. But now? It’s all been flipped it upside down.

What we’re seeing today would make George Mason and Thomas Jefferson spin in their graves like wind turbines in a hurricane. The federal government, which was supposed to be the referee, has become the star quarterback, the coach, and the owner of the whole league. It writes the rules, enforces them, and punishes any state that dares to call a timeout.

Look at how federal agencies impose sweeping mandates, on healthcare, education, the environment, and beyond. States don’t get a seat at the table; they get an instruction manual from D.C. And if they don’t play along, here come the threats: we’ll cut your funding, we’ll sue you, we’ll override your laws.

Take the Department of Education. Article IV didn’t hand Washington the keys to every classroom. But now the feds decide what kids learn, what teachers must do, and what funding they get if they “comply.” The Constitution never gave that power to the central government, so why do we let it slide? Fortunately, our current administration is working to dismantle this aspect of the bloated bureaucracy; it’s a start!

Equal footing among states? Not anymore. States like California and New York push national policy through sheer economic clout, while smaller states are bullied into compliance or drowned out. That’s not equality. That’s coercion.

Originally the “Full Faith and Credit” clause was about respecting the rule of law across state lines. But now it’s used like a crowbar to pry open the gates of state sovereignty.

We’ve seen activist courts and federal judges reinterpret this clause to force states to accept laws and policies they (the states) explicitly voted against. Whether it’s marriage laws, gun regulations, or even environmental policies, states are being told, “You must accept this, or else.”

The Founders never meant for this clause to erase state distinctions or override local governance. They didn’t fight off a monarchy just to build a new one in Washington.

And let’s talk about the elephant in the room, immigration. Border states like Texas and Arizona were drowning under the weight of a federal government that refused to protect them from invasion. That’s a clear failure under Section 4. The Republican Guarantee Clause says the feds must protect the states. Not hang them out to dry. What did we get instead?

Executive orders that hamstring border agents, sanctuary policies from D.C., and lawsuits against any state bold enough to defend its own soil. Thank God that administration is being swept into the dustbin of history where it belongs. Sorry, I’m departing from the point here…

A “republican form of government” means power comes from the people, not from some central puppet master. The states were meant to be laboratories of liberty, places where citizens could shape their communities through self-governance.

Now? States are being turned into regional offices for federal programs. Governors are under pressure to implement federal rules whether their citizens want them or not. And elections? Good luck. With federal funding and influence driving outcomes, true local control is disappearing.

Washington’s influence seeps in through strings-attached grants and regulations. If you don’t follow the federal script, you lose the resources your own taxpayers funded in the first place. That’s not a republic. That’s extortion with a flag wrapped around it. Representatives from the state where I live have expressed this very point to me personally!

And let’s not forget the National Guard, intended for state defense but often federalized without consent. Just another example of state authority being eroded under our noses.

Here’s the gut punch: Article IV was written to bind free and equal states into a cooperative union. That’s the America the Founders envisioned, one where states could differ, disagree, and govern themselves while still standing together.

But look around today. The union isn’t built on mutual respect, it’s built on threats, handouts, and legal strong-arming. It’s not cooperation; it’s submission. And the worst part? Most people don’t even notice it’s happening.

We talk about federal politics like they’re the only game in town, while local voices are drowned out. But the truth is, the fight for freedom is supposed to start in the states. That was the genius of the system. That’s where we’re supposed to fix this.

If we don’t restore the balance between states and the federal beast, then we’re not a constitutional republic anymore. We’re a centralized empire with 50 obedient provinces. That wasn’t the Founders’ vision. That’s the opposite of what they built.

So how do we get back on course? We start by enforcing the Constitution the way it was written. Not how it’s interpreted by unelected bureaucrats or politically motivated judges.

We need governors and state legislatures with backbones. Leaders who’ll say “no” to unconstitutional mandates and fight for their state’s autonomy. We need citizens who stop begging Washington to fix their lives and start fixing their own backyards.

Use the Tenth Amendment as a battering ram. Reclaim what was never the federal governments to begin with. And for heaven’s sake, talk to your state reps like they work for you, because they do. (though I highly recommend this is done with the respect due, they have a challenging job!)

We can also use Article V to propose amendments that reaffirm state sovereignty and limit federal sprawl. That’s not radical. That’s the constitutional safety valve the Founders gave us when they knew things would get out of hand. And please trust me, the founders would say we’re way past that point already.

If you're serious about understanding Article IV, read it for yourself at the National Archives Constitution page and then head over to Convention of States to see how people are taking action.

Don’t say you weren’t warned my friends!

Restore First Principles exists because the system isn’t broken, it’s being broken, on purpose. The Founders handed us a Republic. What we’ve got now? A bloated, unaccountable machine chewing through the Constitution line by line.

If that doesn’t scare you, it should.

https://restorefirstprinciples.substack.com/

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Created:	2025-07-02 19:03 GMT
Updated:	2025-07-03 16:33 GMT
Published:	2025-07-03 16:33 GMT
Converted:	2025-11-11 12:06 GMT
Change Author:	Ken Whaley
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