Author: Fritz Pettyjohn

They had a lot of them, and when they were ignored it was the beginning of the end.  In 133 B.C. Tiberius Graccchus unconstitutionally overruled a veto by his fellow tribune, and to protect himself from retaliation he violated the Roman Constitution by running for reelection.  His victory meant the law was a dead letter, and the death of the Republic was assured.

After victory over their Persian enemies, the Greeks lost their edge, and began their long decline.  The same with the Romans and their defeat of Carthage.  I used to think our defeat of communism might mean our best days were over, as well.  But radical Islam is enough of a challenge to keep us going, and it will assure our vitality for generations — as long as we keep the Constitution.  The left is contemptuous of the Constitution, and without the exercise of Article V they will torture it to death.

Yes, Article V is the last line of defense.  

Maryland could rescind, and another state’s Resolution might not hold up, leaving us with 22.  I strongly believe we’ll get at least Wisconsin, Kentucky, South Carolina, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, giving us 28 next year.  That means we would get Arizona, Oklahoma, Utah, South Dakota and Idaho (no mean feat) and still be one short. 

Maine may be our best bet.  It went Republican in 2010, and I haven’t been able to find a reason it might not do so again this year.  Next best bet is Oregon.  The R candidate for Senate is likely to energize the entire Republican party of Oregon.  The Senate looks very doable, and with the embarrassment of Cover Oregon, the House could fall as well.  I had read somewhere on the internet that Washington went R in 2010, but that was wrong.  24 year Senate veteran Pam Roach called this morning and set me straight.  She got the pledge letter and wanted to talk about it.  I was impressed with her.  She says she’ll run for Congress in two years, and I’ll bet she could win.  She also said the Washington House Republicans are pretty dysfunctional, and are very much a long shot to win a majority.  Minnesota is off the radar, because, like AZ and SC, state senators only run in Presidential years.

So without Maine or Oregon this, conceivably, would not get done until after the 2016 election.    But that would in no way mean that it could not be an issue that defines the 2016 election.  If we’re at 32 or 33 it would be close enough to be a big story.  Close enough that Republican Presidential candidates, and the eventual nominee, would embrace and fund this thing. 

If it was up to me the whole Article V push would have been for Congressional term limits, not a balanced budget amendment.  I’ve been working on the BBA because it had a head start — 17 states.  I’ll take Article V where I can find it.  Now Yvette Herrell of New Mexico has put me in contact with a Kansas City lawyer named Aaron Cook, who is trying to start an Article V term limits campaign.  I’ll get involved, but not at the expense of the BBA Task Force.  First things first.  But if we do get to 34, I want Round Two — term limits — to take off immediately, feeding off the success of the BBA movement.  Like the BBA, an Article V term limits movement would have broad, bipartisan support.  If an Article V movement is supported by both Democrats and Republicans, it has a chance.  If not, fuggedaboutit.  That’s a cold fact.  Maybe sometime in the future you could do something like repealing the 16th Amendment, but not for Round Two.  The people, and the politicians, must grow familiar and comfortable with Article V, and bipartisan support is necessary for that.

I’ve got a little ego in volved here.  25 years ago I introduced what I believe is the first Article V Reso dealing with congressional term limits.  So if Lew Uhler is the Father of the BBA, I want to be the Father of term limits.

If that happened I would die a happy man.

He’s the man, for me.  Just because it was the right thing to do, he went before the Kentucky state senate to promote an Article V BBA.  Kasich’s with us, but I think he’s a squishy conservative.  Pence is great on Article V — but he’s pretty low profile at this point.  He’s my second choice.  Jindal is with us, but he pissed off a bunch of conservatives in the Louisiana legislature, so his political skill is questionable, and I can’t quite see him catching fire.  Rubio blew it on immigration.  Cruz is a blowhard who won’t step up on Article V.  He’s way too fond of himself, and it shows.  No hint of humility.  Christie and Bush are, of course, completely unacceptable.  Walker is a terrible communicator, who has refused, thusfar, to come out for Article V.

So it’s Paul, and not just because of Article V.  I think he’s fine on Israel, but doesn’t want the US sticking its nose in everybody’s business around the world.  I like that.  He’s a libertarian — so am I. 

Is he up to the job?  Hard to say.  I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on that.

So at some point I’ll volunteer for his campaign, do a little work here in Cali.  I might even try to be one of his delegates to the Convention.  I went to San Diego in ’96 as an alternate, and found the whole thing a waste of time.  But I didn’t put any effort into meeting people.  I’m a different guy now — on a mission.   Even if we’ve succeeded on the BBA, I’m going to try to get involved with an Article V term limit movement.  I just heard today about a lawyer in Georgia who is starting to push it, and I’m going to encourage him.

Hell, I’m the Father of the Article V Term Limit Movement.  I wrote and introduced the bill in Alaska in 1989 — 25 years ago. 

A man before his time.

A Republican cave on immigration is the only thing on the horizon capable of killing the wave of 2014.  The argument for caving is pathetically stupid.  The Republicans need Hispanics to win, so we give them what they want.

Bullshit.

A lot of American Hispanics (the only ones we should care about) don’t want more illegals — they’ve shown it at the polls, in Arizona.  A lot of American Hispanics, increasingly, identify themselves as white.  And there are enough whites in this country to win elections for a long, long time.  Look at Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia — all solid red states with huge numbers of blacks.  Why?  Because down there the Democrats are seen as the party of blacks — so where’s a white got to go?  This meme is moving north, into Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia.  It will keep spreading, as long as the Democrats seem committed to driving working and lower middle class whites out of their party.  Affirmative action, in all its manifestations, is a core value of Democrats, and they practically shove it down lower class whites’ throats.  They don’t really like these people, clinging to their guns and Bibles.  There are enough of them to win a lot of elections for a long time.

This is so effin’ obvious, the reason nobody talks about it is …………………….

What?