Thank God for NFIB, and their lobbyists. In North Dakota it’s former long time legislator Rae Ann Kelsch. She’s as impressive as Suzie Budge in Idaho.
Hal Wick is pitching in in North Dakota, and he and Rae Ann agree Rep. Blair Thoreson should be our prime sponsor. Between the two of them there’s little doubt he’ll agree. Reps. Roscoe Streyle and Rick Becker should also be helping out.
Rae Ann was serving in the legislature when former Sen.Curtis Olafson got an Article V Resolution on the national debt passed. The Republican vote was unanimous — no problem with the “runaway” scaremongering. She says most of the Birchers are in Olafson’s district, and they aren’t that strong. We really shouldn’t have that much trouble in North Dakota — except they have a lot on their plate. For one thing I’m pretty sure they’re working on their version of the Alaska Permanent Fund — big time legislation. And we only get one shot. They do not meet in 2016.
Hal says he thinks he’ll get the Reso through in South Dakota by early February. After that he can concentrate on North Dakota, which won’t adjourn until the end of April. He’s a retired Delta pilot, and can fly for free. He’s volunteered to go to Boise, Helena, wherever. He’ll be a big asset.
Rep. Kraig Powell was and is our Utah sponsor — and one of our very best. We came up short earlier this year, 32-41 in the House. NFIB’s Candace Daly will be working closely with Kraig. She’s agreed to put together a spread sheet of returning yeas and nays, along with new members who have to be brought up to speed. Rep. Brian Greene is a stalwart supporter — he just had an Article V debate with an Eagler at some public forum. If he’s willing to work hand in glove with Kraig, it will be a huge help.
Of the four new House leaders, three voted against us — Hughes (Speaker), Dunnigin (Majority Leader), and Gibson. But they don ‘t have the Birch-Eagle brain virus, so we should be able to reason with them. They’re “moderates” by Utah standards, which means they’re conservative, just not Tea Party. Kraig thinks they voted no because they thought our Reso was Tea Party radical — not mainstream. I’m going to try and get Micah from the Republican State Leadership Council talk to them. RSLC is an official arm of the Republican Party — a state legislature version of the Republican Governor’s Association.
The House is now 64-11. That means we can lose 26 of the 64 Republicans and still win. Kraig says three seats the D’s lost went to R’s who will almost surely be on our side. The magic number is 38.
I’ve got to believe we can do this.
reaganproject.blog 