"...you cannot be holding the line with no end in sight—just an endless slog in the mud, fending off an intractable foe until your shield arm tires…whereupon you pass the task onto our children, and their children, forever. There must be an end somewhere."
I visited your site and read several posts, specifically the one about Article V. I, too, read Mark Levin' s excellent book, but aren't you afraid we've left this too long? It's truly such a quagmire now, and many state legislators are corrupt as well. I can't even get a reply from mine.
But saying all that, I might cut and paste your letter, with your permission of course. I certainly can try.
I like Chris' idea of a divorce. Who the hell would stay in such an abusive relationship? I'm frankly tired of being treated like a serf. And according to the original Declaration we have a duty to overthrow such a tyrant. After all, our current rulers make George III look like a piker. But I'm just one old woman, and I don't see a Calvary on a hill or elsewhere. It's a very sad state of affairs.
Hi, Nancy - thank you for the comment, and you're free to copy, edit, and submit whatever you like from that letter.
When I first read Levin's 'Liberty Amendments', circa 2013, I thought I'd discovered the holy grail. Alas it has taken a long time, but there may be some meaningful progress right around the corner. When it comes to fiscal responsibility, the threshold of 2/3 of the states filing applications was passed years ago, and we may soon see action on that front. Stay tuned.
I fully expect that state legislators are just as venal and corrupt as those in DC, but they are a Constitutionally legitimate force that We the People can influence. As Milton Friedman said, the challenge is not so much to elect the right people - the challenge is to create an environment that makes it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing. (Or something like that). 8<)
I think we read it about the same time. Then I was involved in a tea party group, and even then, some people were worried about a runaway convention. I'm sure you've heard all the arguments. It would seem to me that ship has sailed. Is there really any part of the Constitution that hasn't been corrupted or undermined?
I think your amendment is sound. Are you involved with the Convention of States group? I have become so disenchanted with Americans that I have no idea if it has a snowballs chance.
One of the best arguments I've heard was very practical. To the person worried about a runaway convention…
"In essence, you are worried about a convention bringing about an existential crisis—in this case, in the form of a runaway convention. Don't you think the crisis is pretty existential now? How much more existential does it need to get before it becomes worth the risk?"
Back when I still believed that there was some moral legitimacy to our system, that argument worked on me…or, more precisely, it added weight to the arguments I was already using, since I was a big proponent of the Convention of States' Article V plan.
It has been always thus, methinks. Though it might be worse now. For example, something like 1/3 of the Colonials read, or had read to them, Paine's "Common Sense." It is hard to imagine that happening today.
Hi, Nancy -- I too was involved in early Tea Party groups & allied efforts -- I recall my disappointment that Tea Party leaders didn't team up immediately with COS and another older one called Compact for America.
In retrospect, we conservatives have devoted too much time & resources battling each other over the *means* even though we had largely the same *ends* -- namely, limiting the power of Big Govt over our lives.
I'm still active (somewhat) with like-minded conservatives in this Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/738710701185513. Our members lean heavily toward COS, but most of us are supportive of any effort that would push back against Big Govt, and as individuals, we're active in several such groups.
I too believe the "Power Check" Amendment is sound for the reasons you read about in the article. The "Declaration of Dissent" was meant to be a baby step that a few state legislators could do on our behalf, hopefully encouraging other legislators to join in. It was also meant to give individual citizens something we could all do to help, rather than wring our hands, sulk, and wait for a messiah or some other miracle! 8<)
Needless to say, it falls into the stopgap-measure category for me, but t is a good idea and would have a salutary effect if actually used. Do you think anyone has the courage?
I doubt it, but we've nothing to lose. I did read an interesting article on Naomi Wolf's website about an economist trying to get gold backed money on a state level. An interesting idea.
Fact
"...you cannot be holding the line with no end in sight—just an endless slog in the mud, fending off an intractable foe until your shield arm tires…whereupon you pass the task onto our children, and their children, forever. There must be an end somewhere."
Salut.
Thanks, DF. Did you read my original article on that subject? I was impassioned that day…
https://christophercook.substack.com/p/should-you-vote
By coincidence, I recently wrote this blog about our state legislatures and Declarations of Dissent.
https://deplorabledavid.com/2023/09/declarations-of-dissent-a-forceful-new-role-for-our-state-legislatures/
I visited your site and read several posts, specifically the one about Article V. I, too, read Mark Levin' s excellent book, but aren't you afraid we've left this too long? It's truly such a quagmire now, and many state legislators are corrupt as well. I can't even get a reply from mine.
But saying all that, I might cut and paste your letter, with your permission of course. I certainly can try.
I like Chris' idea of a divorce. Who the hell would stay in such an abusive relationship? I'm frankly tired of being treated like a serf. And according to the original Declaration we have a duty to overthrow such a tyrant. After all, our current rulers make George III look like a piker. But I'm just one old woman, and I don't see a Calvary on a hill or elsewhere. It's a very sad state of affairs.
Hi, Nancy - thank you for the comment, and you're free to copy, edit, and submit whatever you like from that letter.
When I first read Levin's 'Liberty Amendments', circa 2013, I thought I'd discovered the holy grail. Alas it has taken a long time, but there may be some meaningful progress right around the corner. When it comes to fiscal responsibility, the threshold of 2/3 of the states filing applications was passed years ago, and we may soon see action on that front. Stay tuned.
I fully expect that state legislators are just as venal and corrupt as those in DC, but they are a Constitutionally legitimate force that We the People can influence. As Milton Friedman said, the challenge is not so much to elect the right people - the challenge is to create an environment that makes it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing. (Or something like that). 8<)
I think we read it about the same time. Then I was involved in a tea party group, and even then, some people were worried about a runaway convention. I'm sure you've heard all the arguments. It would seem to me that ship has sailed. Is there really any part of the Constitution that hasn't been corrupted or undermined?
I think your amendment is sound. Are you involved with the Convention of States group? I have become so disenchanted with Americans that I have no idea if it has a snowballs chance.
One of the best arguments I've heard was very practical. To the person worried about a runaway convention…
"In essence, you are worried about a convention bringing about an existential crisis—in this case, in the form of a runaway convention. Don't you think the crisis is pretty existential now? How much more existential does it need to get before it becomes worth the risk?"
Back when I still believed that there was some moral legitimacy to our system, that argument worked on me…or, more precisely, it added weight to the arguments I was already using, since I was a big proponent of the Convention of States' Article V plan.
Isn't it disturbing that so many people would read our comments and have no idea what we were talking about?
It has been always thus, methinks. Though it might be worse now. For example, something like 1/3 of the Colonials read, or had read to them, Paine's "Common Sense." It is hard to imagine that happening today.
Hi, Nancy -- I too was involved in early Tea Party groups & allied efforts -- I recall my disappointment that Tea Party leaders didn't team up immediately with COS and another older one called Compact for America.
In retrospect, we conservatives have devoted too much time & resources battling each other over the *means* even though we had largely the same *ends* -- namely, limiting the power of Big Govt over our lives.
I'm still active (somewhat) with like-minded conservatives in this Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/738710701185513. Our members lean heavily toward COS, but most of us are supportive of any effort that would push back against Big Govt, and as individuals, we're active in several such groups.
I too believe the "Power Check" Amendment is sound for the reasons you read about in the article. The "Declaration of Dissent" was meant to be a baby step that a few state legislators could do on our behalf, hopefully encouraging other legislators to join in. It was also meant to give individual citizens something we could all do to help, rather than wring our hands, sulk, and wait for a messiah or some other miracle! 8<)
The argument of voting harder annoys me the most. Where have they been for the last 200+ years?
That realization prompted me to write this: https://christophercook.substack.com/p/democracy-is-hell-we-are-sisyphus
Once I saw it, I could not unsee it. And when people react to me like I'm the crazy one, it causes mental pain. How are they not seeing this?
How can I get on your mailing list? I was unable to find a place for that.
You mean for my Substack? Are you not receiving the emails? (I think you signed up with a Hotmail address—is that right?)
I'm getting yours with no problems. I'm trying to connect with David Leeper and his newsletter.
Perhaps I will do it the old fashioned way - do a search!
The abusive relationship metaphor is potent.
That is a funny coincidence. I left a comment.
Needless to say, it falls into the stopgap-measure category for me, but t is a good idea and would have a salutary effect if actually used. Do you think anyone has the courage?
I doubt it, but we've nothing to lose. I did read an interesting article on Naomi Wolf's website about an economist trying to get gold backed money on a state level. An interesting idea.
It is happening in a bunch of states. And countries: https://valaurum.com/product/tanzanian-1000-shilling-kituo-cha-kigoma-aurum/
This is a REALLY good trend. If it clicks, it will be far better than any stopgap measure.