Local self-government
Local Self-governance started as the recognition of individual rights protecting liberty and holding an understanding of inalienable rights. Self Governance of the State represents the doctrine that created the Confederation of States declaring a revolutionary war with England rejecting colonial rule that was acting on behalf of corporate influence. When that war was over, the Articles of Confederation were rewritten by a constitution forming, “these United States of America”. This was inspired by corporations and their investors in order to streamline commerce regarding the growth as a nation being centralized. Until this centralization, Local Self-governance ruled the 13 States, including the boroughs, cities, and townships.
Local Self-governance was co-opted by the doctrine of Home Rule and each State could choose independently if their state constitution would recognize the doctrine. New Hampshire, the “Live free or Die” State turned away from Local Self-governance and instead, declared specifically that all local governing authority would be decided by the State and not by the needs and wishes of the local governing bodies. This governing structure is known as the doctrine of Dillon’s rule which says municipalities are as mere tenants of the State and therefore, community members relinquish our inalienable rights under a republic form of representative government.
New Hampshire mirrored the arrangement of its state constitution after the Articles of Confederation having its first part the Bill of Rights, followed by the duties of the branches of state governing powers. The State retained the Town Meeting process whereby the municipalities were granted authority to make ordinances (law), but only regarding matters the State enabled (allowed).
Here I testify to the blunder of corporate personhood. We the People are to be governed through our consent. Our differences and opinions are still caught in power struggles of equality, the indifference to who rules the collective of us all. It is problematic that corporations are recognized as having personhood rights. Endowed with court-appointed inalienable and civil rights, corporate personhood turned the whole ideal of liberty and equality on its head. Judges, through their rulings recognizing corporate personhood, pulled the rug out from underneath the feet of all the inhabitants of every single municipality.
When understood properly, Local Self-government with all the responsibilities of civility, patience, and human decency would be following a brighter path. Without it we as a nation will fail to ever solve the problems of this nation.. It is my personal opinion that Local Self-governance holds precedence, when it comes as a right, not a privilege granted by the State, with due respects to all mankind and central representative governing authority, from the bottom up.