Dear All,
The year has gotten off to a very busy start!!!!
Patriots from all over VA came out for lobby day on Monday, January 17–it was a great event–an opportunity to meet with legislators, enjoy the fellowship of like-minded folks and network with old and new friends. Hampton Roads was well represented.
I’d like to share some thoughts with you on a pressing issue.
The VA Repeal Amendment: www.repealamendment.org (not to be confused with repealing Obamacare)
“Any provision of law or regulation of the United States may be repealed by the several states, and such repeal shall be effective when the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states approve resolutions for this purpose that particularly describe the same provision or provisions of law or regulation to be repealed.”
If you are in support of the Repeal Amendment, please contact your state senator and delegate and representatives outside your district and ask them to support it now. It has been tabled for now. If there are enough active voices in support of it, it can be revived.
The Repeal Amendment, designed to protect the rights of individuals and states rights from an overreaching federal government was carefully crafted by experienced and dedicated policy-minded citizens in the hope that other states would adopt a similar measure and taxpayers would be able to exercise their constitutional rights through their state legislators, when representatives at the federal level ignore the Constitution and will of the people. To date, the reps on the Hill have proven this measure to be necessary–a necessity to safeguard checks and balances and restore limited government.
The Repeal Amendment has come under attack by many on both sides. The left has implied that states in support of such legislative action are advocating succession. Some conservatives fear a Constitutional Convention would take place and the wrong people would have the opportunity to usurp our most beautiful document. Others believe this is a sound provision for protecting the very God-given freedoms our founders asserted in our framing documents.
One sure fact surrounding the Repeal Amendment is that politics always plays a part in policy making. Like many of you, I got involved in the Tea Party / Patriot movement because I understand that all policy touches every aspect of my life, but I don’t like politics. The Tea Party / Patriot movement thus far has offered America a platform of sound policy, making issues front and center and paying little or no attention to personal politics. The Repeal Amendment does not follow this example. Finger pointing among and between Tea Party / Patriot folks, conservatives, republicans, and independents (all on the opposite side of the left) over this issue has been prolific.
The Virginia Tea Party Patriot Federation comprised of 43 Tea Party / Patriot groups offered support for the Repeal Amendment early on after most of the member groups’ leadership agreed to offer support. This was not done in haste or without thoughtful consideration. Several Tea Party / Patriot groups and their members in VA are actively opposed to this legislative action and are loudly voicing their opinion. I am thankful we have the freedom to speak our mind. My hope is that any support or any opposition for the Repeal Amendment is not politically motivated.
To truly accomplish our united goals and make an impact with integrity, we must strive to place principle and policy above personal politics.
If you are in support of the Repeal Amendment, please contact your state senator and delegate and representatives outside your district and ask them to support it now. It has been tabled for now. If there are enough active voices in support of it, it can be revived.
The Tea Party / Patriot movement has had many victories because we have been unified on many issues. I hope we can find unity in our effort to put forth and pass legislation that limits what the federal government can impose on the states and the taxpayers who fund them.
Thanks for your time, your thoughtful consideration and your continued vigilance.
In liberty,
Kristen Cooper
Chairwoman, 912 First Landing Patriots
I initially had some reservations about the Amendment, but after hearing several interviews on the topic, all of my concerns have been put to rest. Those interviews address (1) how the process works in terms of calling a “amendment” convention [in contrast to a Constitutional convention] and (2) how the repeal process would work.
You can listen to these interviews on the WRVA 1140 AM website under “podcasts.” They have also been posted to the “Just Liberty” page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JustLibertyVA. Look for the interviews with Angie Parker and Randy Barnett.