The Liberty Convention Initiative

Every Nation Gets the Government It Deserves

2016-08-14T08:09:00.001-04:00

Every Nation Gets the Government It Deserves

Joseph de Maistre, writing in 1811 about the then new Russian constitutional reforms, said "Every nation gets the government it deserves." In November, we are going to find out what government we deserve.

Has the United States reached and gone beyond the tipping point where the "shining city on the hill" cannot be saved from the growing masses who just don't get it - - or rather, perhaps, are content to "get it" from the government through necessarily transitory wealth redistribution schemes? (As Margaret Thatcher famously said, "Socialism works fine until you run out of other people's money.")

The great migrations from the Old World to the New World in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries consisted of millions of people weary of the oppression and lack of opportunity in Europe striking out for new lands and a chance to make a better life. They didn't come for a free ride on the public dole - - there was none then. They were determined to make it on their own, and willing to die trying.

If Hillary Clinton prevails in November, could those among us who are weary of her world view and corruption strike out for new lands and a chance to make a better life? Where exactly could we go? The United States is without question the last bastion of freedom and opportunity on the planet.

There is nowhere to go from here, so we must do our utmost to keep Clinton out of the White House. The nation either rejects Clinton in favor of a chance for a better life under a Trump-Pence administration, or the nation elects Clinton and gets the government it deserves.

The nation could probably survive four years, perhaps even eight years, of a Clinton monarchy were it not for the fact that during her reign she would be appointing the next generation of United States Supreme Court justices, any five of whom can dictate the future course of the country from their lifetime positions as unelected, unaccountable, political appointees.

Regardless of anything else that Clinton might do, or not do, if she is the one to make the next three or four Supreme Court appointments, this great experiment in liberty that is the United States will assuredly come to an inglorious end.

It is way past time to stop the hand wringing over Trump’s rough edges and imperfections, and resolve to support and vote for the only candidate who gives our nation a fighting chance of continuing the grand experiment the Founders set in motion 240 years ago.

Goals, Strategies & Tactics -- Goal 2 -- Shape Public Opinion

2014-07-30T12:06:00.005-04:00

The next in a continuing series on goals, strategies and tactics. The point of this series is to solicit ideas and comments from others with different experiences.

Please post, or email me privately if you prefer.

Shape public opinion toward support of the calling of an Article V Convention of States for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, to impose fiscal restraints, and to establish term limits on Congress and the federal judiciary. (Public opinion molding would also go toward building the voter base necessary for legislative or referendum ratification of proposed amendments when returned to the states.)

Strategy 1: Media campaign

Tactic 1: Electronic

Dedicated websites
Social media
Blogs
Cross-links to other conservative sites
Internet radio
Paid ads

Tactic 2: Print

News articles
Letters to the editor
Guest columns
Paid ads

Tactic 3: Radio

Interviews
Talk shows
News items
Paid ads

Tactic 4: Television

Interviews
Talk shows
News items
Paid ads

Strategy 2: Grass roots education and recruiting

Tactic 1: Speaking engagements
Tactic 2: Public events (county fairs, town festivals, election polling places, etc.)
Tactic 3: Private events conducted by groups sympathetic to the goal (preppers, Tea Party groups, perhaps gun rights groups, perhaps evangelical groups)
Tactic 4: Networking
Tactic 5: Media campaign (see above)
Tactic 6: Petition drives
Tactic 7: School essay contests with sponsored prizes
Tactic 8: School debate contests with sponsored prizes
Tactic 9: Signs, bumper stickers, shirts, hats

Strategy 3: Mobilize and organize volunteers to implement all strategies

Tactic 1: Make something happen now – no matter how small

Start with the resources and people immediately available
Don't over-think, over-study or over-plan – just do it!!
Don't become paralyzed by uncertainty. Most mistakes are not fatal.
Build on successes

Tactic 2: Establish a core group of reliable people to spread the work around
Tactic 3: Have regular meetings at the most frequent interval practicable – even if just by conference call, Google+ Hangouts, Skype, GoToMeeting.com, etc.
Tactic 4: Set goals and deadlines; assign tasks to reliable volunteers
Tactic 5: Identify natural leaders based on accomplishments – not on reputation. Select a board of advisers.
Tactic 6: Delegate – even local projects require more effort and time than a small group can muster.
Tactic 7: Don't overestimate the amount of time volunteers can devote – people have other demands on their time.
Corollary: Don’t rely on people who don't have, or won't spend, adequate time.
Tactic 8: Make recruitment of new volunteers a top priority. Ask every member to bring someone new to every meeting.
Tactic 9: Identify potential recruits from voter registration lists, campaign contribution lists, membership lists of like-minded groups.

Strategy 4: Form alliances with other Article V groups, but maintain local independence and control

Tactic 1: Coordinate efforts with Convention of States Project
Tactic 2: Stay informed on status of Article V Caucus/Assembly of State Legislatures
Tactic 3: Reach out to other Article V groups for mutual support, exchange of ideas, etc.

Goals, Strategies & Tactics -- Goal 1

2014-07-27T13:59:00.000-04:00

Liberty Convention Initiative
http://www.libertyconvention.com
Goals, Strategies & Tactics

Goal #1

To get a majority of the members of each chamber of each state legislature (34 needed) to pass the necessary legislation (resolution or bill, according to local rules) to make application to Congress for the calling of an Article V Convention of States for the of purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, to impose fiscal restraints, and to establish term limits on Congress and the federal judiciary

Strategy 1: Educate individual legislators about implementing Article V Convention of States as a viable remedy for federal overreach.

1. Assemble detailed contact information on each legislator and key staff

Legislator’s name, district, party affiliation, office email address, personal email address, office fax number, mailing address, office telephone number, personal telephone number
Legislator’s chief assistant’s name, office email address, office fax number, mailing address, office telephone number

2. Email campaign directed at each legislator

Easier and less costly than fax or mail or telephone
Effectiveness depends on communication practices of each legislator
Fall-back plan: fax, then mail, then telephone

3. Involve key constituents of each legislator

Identify key constituents
Determine which key constituents may support an Article V convention
Provide each key constituent with detailed information and argument about implementing Article V convention as a viable remedy for federal over-reach
Ask each key constituent to contact their legislators an request that he or she support (sponsor, co-sponsor, and vote for) the COSP proposed application

Strategy 2: Identify and recruit key legislators in each chamber of each state legislature who will actively support Article V legislation by making a very public request for public, on-the-record commitment.

1. If commitment is made:

Assist with positive PR supporting the commitment
Provide continuing informational material for use in educating other legislators and voters

2. If commitment is not made:

Enlist support of key constituents
Enlist support of local Tea Party, Libertarian and GOP groups, and individuals

Strategy 3: Coordinate with each committed legislator in getting the Article V legislation drafted, introduced, moved through committees, brought to the floor, and passed.

1. Take the lead, if possible; the legislator will have other demands on his or her time

2. Assist in formation of alliances among legislators

3. Stay in the background and give the legislators the credit

4. Publically promote and defend the actions of committed legislators

Get endorsements of key constituents, GOP, Tea Party, Libertarian, First Amendment, Second Amendment, Tenth Amendment, veterans, and other groups
Letters to the editor of local papers in support
Call-ins to local radio talk shows in support
Electronic media initiatives (Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, website links, paid ads)
Voter guides

Goals, Strategy & Tactics Discussion

2014-07-25T15:45:00.000-04:00

This is the initial post for The Liberty Convention Initiative. I am a political organizer -- not a techie -- so bear with me until I can get this figured out.

The purpose of this blog and the associated website (http://libertyconvention.com/) and any other related outlets (Google+ soon) is to organize a nationwide effort to get both chambers of the legislature of each state (34 states needed) to pass legislation applying to Congress for the calling of an Article V Convention of States for the purpose of proposing amendments to the United States Constitution to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, to impose fiscal restraints, and to establish term limits on Congress and the federal judiciary.

Some of the amendments under consideration are those proposed by Mark Levin in his book, The Liberty Amendments:

Establish twelve-year term limits for members of Congress and the Supreme Court;

Repeal the 17th Amendment, restoring election of Senators to the state legislatures;

Allow either Congress or the states to overturn a Supreme Court decision within 24 months with a (3/5 vote of the members of both houses of Congress or both houses of the state legislatures;

Require a federal budget be enacted annually by May or impose an automatic across-the-board 5% spending cut; and provide that the budget may not exceed tax receipts of the prior year or 17.5% of Gross Domestic Product;

Place a 15% limit on the amount of income taxes collected from natural and legal persons (corporations); change the tax-return filing date to the day before federal elections; and ban federal estate, value-added, or sales taxes;

Require each federal agency to be reauthorized every three (3) years in a separate stand-alone bill to provide for debate, or else sunset the agency automatically, and require a seven-member House committee to approve all newly proposed regulations with an economic burden greater than $100 million within six (6) months of the close of the public comment period or cancel implementation of the regulation;

Limit the Commerce Clause to preventing states from impeding commerce and trade between the states, and specify that it does not extend to activity within states (whether or not it affects interstate commerce) or to compelling an individual to participate in commerce (such as with the Affordable Care Act);

Extend the protection against seizure of private property to require compensation for regulations that reduce market value or interfere with the use of property (administrative taking) in an amount exceeding $10,000;

Change Article V so that any constitutional amendment, proposed by anyone, will be adopted if ratified by 2/3 of the states;

Require a 30-day waiting period between engrossment of the final version of any congressional bill and the final vote to approve it; allow 3/5 of the states to override any federal statute or any federal regulation with a cost exceeding $100 million within twenty-four (24) months of passage or approval; and

Require valid photo ID and proof of citizenship to register and vote in all federal elections, in person or by mail, and limit early voting to thirty (30 days) before the election (except for active-duty military personnel).

Other amendments have been proposed by The Convention of States Project:

A balanced budget amendment

A redefinition of the General Welfare Clause (the original view was the federal government could not spend money on any topic within the jurisdiction of the states)

A redefinition of the Commerce Clause (the original view was that Congress was granted a narrow and exclusive power to regulate shipments across state lines – not all the economic activity of the nation)

A prohibition of using international treaties and law to govern the domestic law of the United States

A limitation on using Executive Orders and federal regulations to enact laws (since Congress is supposed to be the exclusive agency to enact laws)

Imposing term limits on Congress and the Supreme Court

Placing an upper limit on federal taxation

Requiring sunseting of all existing federal taxes and a super-majority vote to replace them with new, fairer taxes.

This blog is intended to facilitate the exchange of constructive ideas about how this organization effort can best proceed, including a discussion of the goals, strategy and tactics to be focused on. This is not a forum for rants against the government. We know the problems -- this blog is aimed at how we solve them through the Article V amendment process. I will make a post later today or tomorrow to get the discussion started.

I can be contacted directly by email at: O.Causey @LibertyConvention.com .