June 9, 2011

CONSTITUTION LOBBY IS GAINING TRACTION!

THE APPROPRIATE NEXT STEP FOR A FREE PEOPLE

Long-held Vision Coming to Fruition

On March 15, 2011 we published an article titled, “WHERE IS THE CONSTITUTION LOBBY? WHO IS LOBBYING FOR AMERICA’S CONSTITUTIONS?"

We wrote that as we look at the events taking place in America we see thousands of lobbies influencing the behavior of our state and federal legislators but no Constitution Lobby – no one is it is watching and holding our public officials accountable to our state and federal Constitutions, so it should be no surprise that the servant has been taking over the House.

We argued that those wielding governmental power must be constantly watched and made to obey our Charters of Freedom, for each and every violation has a devastating impact on the People, Freedom, our economy and our reputation.

On March 16, 2011 we published an article titled, “PROPOSING: AMERICA’S CONSTITUTION LOBBY. WILL YOU JOIN WITH US TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?

We wrote that no one organization in America has the organization, power and money to stop and reverse the across-the-board violations of our Constitutions: most focus on education, avoiding action; some are activist in nature, but focus on a single issue or two; few, if any, are devoted without political ties to the defense of our State Constitutions and those local Constitutions known as City Charters.  

We argued that the Free People of America needed a true Constitution Lobby with the organization, power and money needed to truly hold government accountable to our constitutions. We presented our vision of the Lobby. We asked our readers to let us know if their vision of what is now needed by the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave differs from ours. 

We are pleased to announce that through the recent joint cooperation of numerous state-based Liberty organizations, leaders in several states are now well underway toward establishing new legal entities – each a state based, “Constitution Lobby” corporation – that will coordinate, manage and self-fund a broad Freedom coalition dedicated to a single, non-political purpose: institutionalizing Citizen Vigilance, confronting government wrongdoers, and securing Redress through coordinated, effective and lawful Civic Action. 

Financed entirely by modest membership dues from just a fraction of the population, each state Lobby should be easily able to fund a several million dollar annual budget capable of supporting a broad-based program of public awareness and Civic Action, as well as a robust, full-time staff of well compensated attorneys, paralegals and office personnel. Compensation will also be offered for citizen “Constitutional Monitors.”  First year budget projections also include approximately $2M for the purchase and construction of an office facility in the state capital city, based on the iconic architecture of Monticello, the Virginia home of Thomas Jefferson.   

The Lobby Story Thus Far

For two months, we allowed the idea to quietly percolate, gauging the reaction. While we made no extra effort to circulate the Updates, the response was widespread and positive.

We then invited a select group of participants – those who had been organizers of WTP activities in recent years – to a join us on a conference call on Wednesday evening, May 18 for a briefing on the vision of a Constitution Lobby and to address their questions and concerns. The response was more than positive.  People in certain States began stepping up to make it happen. 

Pleased with the response, we invited a few hundred people to join a conference call on Wednesday evening, May 25. Again, gratified with the positive response, we decided to continue the Wednesday evening calls, to brief more and more people and to assist the growing number of people in a growing number of states that were stepping up to establish a Constitution Lobby of, by and for the People of their States. 

The word is spreading.   Hundreds of people in 37 states have now been briefed. Of those, many are moving seriously with the intent to incorporate a Constitution Lobby in their State, to be known as “We The People of ________.”  It appears Connecticut, the Constitution State(!), will be the first to incorporate with plans to do so on or around July 4^th.  

New York will be close behind.  Incorporators are stepping up in Indiana, California and Iowa.  Other Patriots are canvassing the pro-Constitution groups in their states, including Oregon, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Nebraska and Texas.  In other States, people are discussing the concept to see if there is interest enough to advance the idea at this time. 

We are continuing the Wednesday evening calls as we assist those who are interested in learning more or have already decided to make the vision of a Constitution Lobby a reality in their States. The call is open to all interested parties.  

Click here for instructions to join the weekly call, to view the previous call Agendas, and links for suggested reading.  

Bob’s Long-held Vision Gaining Clarity

Thanks to the wisdom and advice of many experienced Patriots, the vision of the Constitution Lobby continues to come into sharper focus. 

For example, what follows here was written in response to an inquiry from a John Riley, a prominent Patriot from Kentucky, to explain how a Constitution Lobby could operate to hold government accountable in Kentucky in this economic climate.

Join us to hold the picture of this in place for each State, using the formula developed here to arrive at the possibility for your State. 

Imagine ALL of Kentucky's voters continue to support one political candidate or another year after year but, in addition, 5% of Kentucky's 4.3 million people or 215,000 citizens want all elected officials at the local, state and federal level to adhere to their local charters and ordinances, and state and federal Constitutions and laws, and are willing to do whatever is necessary to hold ALL of their elected officials accountable, REGARDLESS OF THE POLITICAL STRIPES, POLITICAL PARTY or PERSONALITY OF THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS and regardless of the practical difficulty. 

Imagine those 215,000 people become dues-paying members at $25.00 per year of WE THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY, a not-for-profit entity with a Board of Directors made up of a COALITION of leaders of prominent state or national entities devoted to defending one or more of the provisions of our Charters of Freedom. 

Imagine WE THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY, Inc. established as a Constitution Lobby for the sole purpose of comparing the requirements of Kentucky's laws and Constitutions with what Kentucky's elected officials were doing, in the name of the People, in Kentucky’s 419 municipalities, 120 counties, 1 State Legislature and 1 U.S. congress, while always avoiding all political issues and questions.  

Imagine, 531 “Constitutional Monitors,” as government watchdogs, located across the State of Kentucky. 

Imagine those 531 "Constitutional Monitors" recognizing an alleged violation, respectfully speaking to their elected officials to remedy the matter and, if necessary, bringing the matter to the attention of those in the Lobby's Citizen Vigilance Center located in Frankfort (1 Executive Director, 2 constitutional lawyers, 3 paralegals and 3 clerks), who would prepare a course of action whose preliminary steps would include a Petition for Redress of the Grievance [to be filed and served on the offending official(s) directly or indirectly in a court of competent jurisdiction], for the approval of the Lobby's Coalition (Board of Directors). 

Imagine 215,000 dues paying members of the Lobby being kept informed of the violations and the responsiveness of Kentucky's elected officials to Petitions for Redress. 

Imagine 215,000 dues paying members of the Lobby with the knowledge of the full meaning of their Right of Remedy and Right to Petition, guaranteed by both the Kentucky State Constitution and U.S. Constitution, the elected officials’ obligation to respond and the People's Right of Enforcement should they refuse to respond. 

Imagine the improvement in constitutional governance once the elected officials realize a mass-movement of People in Kentucky know what their Rights are, are pro-actively watching what they, the elected officials, are doing, and are prepared to intelligently, rationally, professionally and non-violently engage in civic action, if necessary, should elected officials first ignore the law and then ignore the People's Petitions for Redress. 

Imagine the assistance to those constitutionalists seeking election to public office (local, state and federal) if they were able to add to their campaign stump speeches the fact that the incumbent had violated the Constitution and refused to justify the violation or otherwise listen and respond to his constituents. 

Finally, imagine the resultant shift in the ultimate power from the government back to the People where it was meant to reside in the first place.

Imagine annual funding for the Kentucky Constitution Lobby:

Jefferson said, “The People are the only sure reliance for the preservation of Liberty.”  We believe this is a plan with a cost/benefit ratio that will attract all those who are concerned about the loss of Liberty and rise of Tyranny in America.

What You Can Do

You who have supported us for so long in our efforts to protect and defend our Constitutions should be the first ones to support a Constitution Lobby getting off the ground in your State.  Please come on to our weekly calls, get connected and do as much as you can.

Our collective strength will be achieved by coordinating, not replacing, the substantial numbers of individual, state-based Liberty organizations already in existence, and focusing the power of that vast supporter base through 50 new, self-funded state-based corporate Lobby entities, each directed, managed and staffed by state Liberty leaders.  The modest membership dues will create a multi-million dollar entity in each state capable of engaging, and winning the battle for Freedom.  

Some people feel America has gone too far in the wrong direction and all we can do is prepare for the worst.  We are not of this mind.   If enough People come together now who have a passion for Liberty, we will have the organization, power and funding to be a respected voice in America, capable of carrying on the work of our forefathers for the Cause of Liberty.
 

Step up for the Fourth Amendment

If you do not know what happened in Indiana recently and elsewhere, you surely need to learn about this (Article by Dr. Edwin Vieira), this (CATO article) and this (Decision by the Indiana Supreme Court)

Dear Friends of America, what happened in Indiana could happen to any of us and there must be a powerful response from the People of Indiana, supported by the rest of us. We are working behind the scenes in Indiana with some key patriots.
 

Please Support our Work

Please donate to keep the We The People organization a viable pro-Constitution force in America. We cannot do it without you. 

In addition to your help covering our recurring monthly costs (which cover vital information technology, office, and necessary professional service expenses) as well as our continuing WTP projects (such as our NCEL no-voting-machine federal litigation), your much-needed donations will now also go towards the execution of the Constitution Lobby Project, including travel, administrative and program related expenses as we assist the People in all 50 States learn about and implement a Constitution Lobby for every State.

In comparison to supporting a typical political cause or party candidate, your investment in insuring the success of WTP’s Constitution Lobby project may well yield high returns in terms of the future well-being of our nation and the Liberty of her People.

Bob hopes to fulfill his dream soon, visiting every State as necessary to engage and educate the People and spur them to “campaign” for a non-political Lobby that holds all public servants accountable to the Greatest Governing Documents ever given to mankind. 

Is not that a vision worthy of your support? 

Please donate to WTP today. Thank you. 

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