Month: February 2015

I’ve got a couple things to do tomorrow to keep my mind off the vote in the Montana House.  At 9:00 a.m. AST I’ll testify telephonically in front of the Alaska Senate State Affairs Committee on SJR 21, Sen. Kelly, which would reform the Alaska Judicial Council.  I’ve wanted this bill to pass for forty years.  Sometimes you’ve just got to be patient.  At 4:15 p.m. AST I’ll be on the Glen Biegel Show on KOAN, 1080, Anchorage.

It would be great if I could report to Glen that we passed the Montana House.

Who knows?  That will be decided by the President and Congress who implement the provisions of the Amendment.  It all depends on who they are.  That will be determined by the election of 2016.  Republicans will fight tax increases.  Democrats will fight spending cuts.  Depending on the balance of power in Washington, you will wind up with all spending cuts, all taxes, or a combination of the two.

Last year the Eagle Forum put out a piece attacking us because I acknowledged this political reality publicly, in a meeting with the Utah Legislature’s Conservative Caucus.  They misquote me, claiming I predict tax increases.  I just acknowledged the possibility.  Even that is enough to raise concerns on the hard anti-tax right.

I don’t want any tax increases.  As far as I’m concerned the federal government doesn’t have a revenue problem, it’s got a spending problem.  One of the key decisions the delegates to the Amendment Convention will make is how much leeway to give Congress on the question of tax increases.  Some say there should be a flat prohibition, and without one the Amendment couldn’t be ratified.  Others think such a prohibition would prevent ratification.  The delegates will decide.  They’ll figure out what will work, and what won’t, what can be ratified, and what can’t.

We don’t know what they’ll decide.  They will be serious people.  Every legislature will want to send its best.  We’ll all watch them deliberate, examine their proposal closely, and decide if we can support it.  That’s the system the Framers set up.  Let’s see if it works.  What are we afraid of?

Ourselves?

Bill Fruth got ten minutes in front of the Utah Republican Caucus today, and won’t need to stay for tomorrow’s committee meeting, where sponsor Kraig Powell has the votes.  Bill was hoping for more time (he did travel almost 2500 miles) but Senate President Niederhauser told him he did what needed to be done.  We were five votes short last year, lost 32-41.  We did no work in advance of my two days at the Capitol in Salt Lake.  Kraig has been pushing this for a year now, and with all the new members on our side the votes are there.  Kraig is smart and conscientious, and he says he can get it through.  We’re on call to help, but if he can get it done in the House, and with Senator Bramble carrying the bill in the Senate, we get Utah, a state we always figured would be tough.

Looks like we’re up in Wyoming Senate Rules on Monday.  Senate President Phil Nicholas purportedly still has concerns about a runaway.  I’m planning on being there, but hoping we can secure his vote without it.  He’s a lawyer, and an intelligent man.  I’m confident he’ll see the light.  But he hasn’t yet.

Kasich’s in Columbia tomorrow, West Virginia on Thursday.  He’s sure as hell doing his part.  I hope he gets a chance to spin the victory in South Dakota as the culmination of a 30 year long fight between Hal Wick and the John Birch Society.  If we can portray this whole campaign as a war with the Birchers it will help the cause.

Phyllis Schlafly and her Eagle Forum played a large part in preventing ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment back in the 70’s.  She was a heroine of the right, and wanted to maintain her high profile, so she looked for another dragon to slay.  She decided to attack Article V, and she succeeded again in the 80’s, with the financial backing of Walter Mondale and big labor.  She’s 91 now, and reportedly in poor health.  She’s handed the reins of the Eagle Forum to a successor, who, as far as we know, has shown no interest in Article V.  The Eagle Forum website has lots of “Calls to Action” over the last few months, but nothing on Article V or the BBA.  She has a column out today on an unrelated subject.  She still has her wits about her, but has been silent about our campaign.  If Eagle Forum truly is out of the picture, our only organized opposition is the JBS  — a perfect foil.  Just about everyone who pays attention to these things knows that the Birchers are nuts.  If the only people fighting you are crazy, how can you lose?

We’re about to find out.

The honor goes to the Sunshine State, and Hal Wick, the man who never gave up.  In a just world the story of his 30 year battle against the Birchers would be told.  We’re more interested in some celebrity’s love life.

With the North Dakota House passing our bill 70-20, it was a good day.  Kasich will be in Columbia tomorrow and Charleston W.V. on Thursday.  He’ll be spreading the word of these significant wins.

Will it help in Montana?

Matthew has put off the vote ’til Thursday to whip some votes.  This encourages me.  Apparently there are votes to whip.

Let’s get whipping.