Wheres The Freedom in Forced Annexation?
RALEIGH – There is a word thrown about the legal profession that often doesn’t get the degree of consideration it deserves. That word is “jurisdiction.” At first blush, the word seems obscure and has too many syllables to be exciting. But believe me, if jurisdiction is ever exerted over you, you’ll be intensely interested. Jurisdiction is a government’s right to impose rules and hold its people accountable. Jurisdiction allows governments to levy taxes, impose fines, and put people in jail. In a democracy, how we justify jurisdiction is critical. If a foreign nation, let’s say France, told us where to live, or what taxes to pay, we’d probably show them the door. But why? After all, France is (roughly) organized and democratic. It is a legitimate government. So why not bow to France’s authority? The answer, for most Americans, is that we have not – directly or indirectly – consented to France’s jurisdiction. We don’t live in France, and we won’t let a foreign power exercise jurisdiction
