Short vanity, but well thought out and thought provoking.
Convention of States bump!
Beginning to think this is the only way left to go, outside of armed rebellion.
Those who voted against Boehner are the only conservatives in Congress. All others have signed on to the Boehner/McConnell Congressional Caucus under the direction of Harry Reid.
Indeed!
Yes! Yes! Yes ad infinitum!
You nailed it.
Today showed more than ever there is no faithful representation in Washington DC.
Congress is for sale to the highest bidder and today showed it has sold itself. Many of those reps voted for one reason only, for position of themselves and not of principle.
Their thinking was in order of priority, what is good for themselves and what is good for ‘important’ constituents. Principle was not even considered.
The surviving true and faithful representation lies with state legislatures and the power they have to unite and assert Article V.
Short vanity, but well thought out and thought provoking.
Well, at least we know who butters whose bread.
Good post!
BUMP
OR . . . the FREE REPUBLIC PARTY
Go ahead and continue fighting for the fantasy Article V convention that’ll never happen. In the meantime, I’ll ramp up my purchases of ammo. The GOP is dead. The tree of liberty awaits its watering.
It could happen. Convention of states could actually pass and the states could ratify the well-worded amendments necessary to cut back our grossly unconstitutional federal government, and somehow enforce its dismantling. But I believe it would be a miracle. That's OK, because I think America itself and its founding was also a miracle.
But failing that kind of miracle, States, Our Natural Second Party should also be thought about in terms of nullifying unconstitutional federal law. Arizona has just passed such a law, allowing the state to ignore a federal law if the state finds it to be unconstitutional. But a state that does this needs to be prepared for financial independence from the federal government which will almost certainly cut such a state off from federal funding. However, if that state kept its government and taxes small and allowed the free market economy to thrive, it could soon be more financially healthy than the bankrupt feds. If tiny, resource-poor Hong Kong could do it, any state can do it. It only takes bravery and willingness to fight for freedom.
The 17th Amendment took away a huge chunk of the power of the states a century ago.
How many state legislators are there?
Answer: 7,383
http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/number-of-legislators-and-length-of-terms.aspx
From a population of 325,000,000 people, there are on average 607477 people per each of Congress’ 535 Members and 44020 per each of the 7,383 state legislators.
Counting only State Representatives (5,411) and Congressional Representatives (435), the respective populations they cover on average are 59,139 and 735,632.
A broad and thorough study by the AFFT concluded that it takes about 3,000 activists on average per each district of Congress to turn the Congressional district’s Member to an issue of concern.
As a percentage of constituents averaging 735,632 persons per Congressional District (CD), 3,000 activists make up 0.4% (less than 1 out of every 20 persons) of the people in the CD.
Projecting this percentage (0.4%) onto the average number of constituents (59,139) per each of the 5,411 State Representatives makes 241 activists needed on average per State Representative.
Get that? Between 200 and 300 activists can get a State Representative on the same page with a Conservative Agenda.
BUT ....
Can Leftist Activists do the same?
The answer is no, why?
Because Leftist Activists concentrate in the urban areas whereas Conservative Activists concentrate in smaller towns, cities and rural areas.
Conservatives therefore have the home field advantage when teaming with their State Legislators.
The problem is that State Legislators are powerless until they self-organize to assert Article V. The first business of Article V that State Legislators will naturally warm to is amending the US Constitution to bring back State Legislator power in balance with Federal Government. An Amendment to “Redress the Balance of Powers and Restore Effective Sufferage of States With Respect to all Branches of the Federal Government”.
A must-see video regarding this subject is given by Mark Levin to a gathering of state legislators:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdZuV8JnvvA
But, even a quick glance at the state houses and governorships show that the political parties have substantially taken over those offices, as well. The problem really now, besides the grip of the parties, is they way they control the states with massive subsidies.
So, what we're left with is this endless cycle of parties handing out money to states, and states providing power and candidates to the parties who perpetuate the cycle.
While I still think the 17th amendment was a disaster, I don't believe that ending it would solve much. Outlawing political parties is about the only way to end it, and that would probably take a constitutional amendment.
George Washington had it right about 220 years ago:" I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.
This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind, (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight,) the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.
It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."
I'd say he pretty much nailed it, all those years ago.
I am seriously considering The Constitution Party.
Real tired of beating my head against the wall.
In their way, they are and they do.
But are they really ready to step into the shoes of the federal government or are are they already charged with all the responsibilities they can manage?
Do state legislators really want more power if it means more responsibility and accountability?
:)
Getting Washington to take us seriously will not happen as long as we continue to use "civil" means of persuasion. Anything we enact, Washington will overrule or ignore.
I think that now, the only way we will teach the three branches of government to respect us is to teach them to fear us.
Today will be looked upon by historians as America's wake up call. Article V is all we have left to contain the beltway behemoth. We have to pursue Article V or we have no representation at all. The result of the process will determine our next step.
State legislatures need to realize we have a national emergency on our hands. They need to aggressively pursue Article V.
Most FReepers are aware of these links, but I post anyway for review and for people new to Article V. It is our responsibility to make Article V the most understood aspect of the US Constitution.
The longer we wait, the bigger the risk of secession or outright civil war.
Convention of States - Alabama Way to go Alabama! A good introduction.
The Case for an Article V Convention. Fantastic explanation of Article V convention to the Mass State Legislature.
I would recommend watching the above videos first and then:
Convention of States Lots of information here.
Call a Convention A call for a Convention of States
Article V Project to Restore Liberty Another good source.
Convention of States model Resolution
A Summary of Mark Levin’s Proposed Amendments by Jacquerie
Chapter 1 of Mark Levin’s Book, The Liberty Amendments
Mark Levin, Constitution Article V, and the Liberty Amendments
Rep. Bill Taylor introduces a Convention of States
List of Mark Levin You Tube Videos
Mark Levin Article V, Liberty Amendments youtube video hub
Three hour video of C-Span interview with Mark Levin
Mark Levin’s ALEC Speech, Dec 4, 2014
Gaining Steam? Nearly 100 Lawmakers Descend on Mount Vernon to Talk Convention of States The beginning.
Mark Levin’s “Liberty Amendments” Sean Hannity Special
Convention to Propose Amendments to the United States Constitution
The Other Way to Amend the Constitution: The Article V Constitutional Convention Amendment Process
Friends of Article V Convention Links
Ulysses at the Mast: Democracy, Federalism, and the Sirens' Song of the Seventeenth Amendment by Jay Bybee. Repeal the 17th
Article V Handbook - for State Legislators An important resource.
State Legislators Article V Caucus State Legislators, Join up at this site!
Send this list of links to your State Representatives and Senators here: Contact your State Legislators. January is the month the state legislatures reconvene. Please contact your state representative and senator this month.
Sample Letter to state Representatives regarding the Convention of States Project and also, Talking Points.
Excellent Article V Letter to a State Assemblyman by Jacquerie
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke.
Let’s all work together to get this going.