Let's be real for a minute. California is a heavy lift. A very heavy lift. By acknowledging that little tidbit I'm not telling members of the California grassroots anything they don't already know.
California's District Captains are especially aware of this. If you are doing the do here in California, you are having to deal with a dearth of individuals willing to stick their necks out and become involved, state "representatives" who are not particularly interested in hearing anything which does not align with their way of thinking, and a flood of people who have had enough and decided to make the dash to greener, more liberty-minded pastures. Yes, it can wear on even the most committed of volunteers.
This is why it is remarkable to meet a Californian who has been in the COS effort from nearly the git-go and continues to keep the faith.
So it is for my COS colleague and friend, a Monterey resident and constituent of Senate District 17 and Assembly District 30, Mr. Bill Wiltschko. Bill is what one would call a true believer. Unwavering in his commitment, Bill has been slogging in the trenches of the California Convention of States movement since November of 2015. (Yup, for the mathematically challenged that's coming up on eight years this Thanksgiving.)
What's truly impressive is not just the length of time of service we're talking about here, but the number of different ways that Bill serves. He
- signs up and welcomes new volunteers. (Yours truly remembers fondly meeting with Bill at a local Starbucks where Bill provided the lay of the land at COS).
- works as a State Information Analyst (basically a data wonk).
- makes improvements to COS tools as part of the National Tech group
- trains volunteers weekly on COS tools
- contacts Legislators
Bill also meets with various small groups in the south bay, talking about the importance of the Constitution and why folks should care that things have gone off the rails. He tables monthly at the Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley, a gathering of passionate bay area conservatives, speaking to attendees about the status of the Convention of States movement and informing them on what the movement is all about.
In short, Bill embodies the spirit of Convention of States and provides a solid example of what a California grassroots volunteer should aspire to be.
Let me close with an ask. Bill is currently looking for someone to help join him at his Liberty Forum tabling in Mountain View. The event normally takes place on the second Tuesday of every month. Those who attend these meetings will not only get to help spread the word about Convention of States, they will be treated to some top-shelf speakers delivering information on topics of interest. The list of recent speakers includes names like Dr. Scott Atlas, Gordon Chang, Vivek Ramaswamy, James O'Keefe, Molly Hemingway and (most recently) Steve Hilton. If you might be interested in helping at the COS table, please let Bill know.
To Liberty!
The California COMMS team is looking to regularly post articles like this one featuring one of our California grassroots volunteers. If you would like to see someone featured in this way, please jot down a bit of information about what makes them stand out within the California COS effort. (You writers out there, this is your chance to shine). The COMMS team will work with you to put things together, will verify the accuracy of the information included by letting the featured individual read the article prior to its publication, and will push it up here in our California area. Easy, no? So send us your thoughts.
