In 2017 David Yancey and Shelly Simonds squared off in a battle for the State Assembly seat in Virginia’s 94th House District. At stake was whether the Democratic or Republican Party would have a majority in the Virginia House of Delegates.
After the votes were tallied, each candidate had received 11,608 votes. A tie. How would the victor of the contest be determined? Each candidate's name was placed in separate film containers. These were placed in a white ceramic bowl, and one name was drawn. It happened to be David Yancey’s, so the Republican Party retained a majority in the Virginia House.
I’m sure at least one person in the Virginia 94th House District intended to vote but didn’t make it to the polls. It’s why these words by President Lincoln should be a call to action for every American citizen.
“We the People are the rightful masters of both the Congress and the Courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” –President Abraham Lincoln
Our Founding Fathers established a country where the “just powers of the government” are based on the consent of the governed. Freedom and our Constitution cannot survive unless they are defended by each of us.
The word “duty” was often used in the 1700s and 1800s. Webster’s Dictionary defines duty as a “required action or service.” Fair enough. But in our Founding era, duty meant a legally binding, contractual obligation. That definition captures even greater importance and places more responsibility on our shoulders to serve. You could even say that it compels action.
The November 3, 2020, Presidential election is only 16 days away. “This is the most important election of our lifetime,” is often a throwaway line to capture the viewer’s attention or to generate clicks or shares. I think it’s an appropriate description for this election.
This has been a year of turmoil. We’ve gone from record low unemployment and a booming economy to one mostly shut down by state governors and then back to one rebounding at an incredible rate. We’ve gone from legitimate discussion of our nation’s shortcomings and history to many rejecting our history and some even calling for complete destruction of our constitutional system.
We now live in a country where polls show more than two-thirds of Americans do not believe there is a fixed standard of right and wrong. It’s impossible to maintain a civil society this way.
There is great news, though! The United States has a good track record of getting things right. Sometimes we do so immediately. Sometimes we do so eventually. The march to where we are today began in the early 1900s. The fact that we’ve been able to undergo so much adversity and still be the greatest source of freedom and opportunity is a testament to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers and the Framers of the Constitution. This validates the principles upon which our country was founded.
The driving force behind our results has always been We the People, whether it be 77 colonists battling 700 British Troops on the Lexington Green, a President restating our principles and resolve in Gettysburg, American troops storming the beaches of Normandy, first responders putting themselves in harm’s way after a terrorist attack, or neighbor helping neighbor after a natural disaster.
America has consistently been a force for good because of We the People.
We are called to fulfill this duty again. We are called to satisfy our legally contractual, binding obligation on November 3. The mission of the Convention of States Project has always been to form the largest team of citizen activists who are committed to the principles of self-governance. That citizen activism begins with voting.
This year’s election is being held under extraordinary circumstances with unprecedented numbers of mail-in votes, early voting, and court battles over the counting of ballots.
It’s no longer sufficient to just make sure we vote. Rather, it’s our duty to ensure our friends vote, as well. Perhaps you know someone who’s registered to vote but doesn't always make it to the polls. It’s our responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen this time.
To help in these efforts, the Convention of States Project has created the Circle of 10 initiative. I'm sure we all have at least 10 friends who fall into the aforementioned category of being a complacent voter. Go to www.circleof10.vote to commit to contacting at least 10 friends, and making sure they vote this election.
If you are a Convention of States leader or volunteer, we have additional efforts coordinated in key legislative districts throughout the country. Our efforts will not only preserve the Constitution and promote liberty. They also will demonstrate to our elected officials the influence our grassroots Convention of States volunteers have in moving elections and affecting public policy.
This will make your efforts more effective when discussing the Framer’s solution to defending the Constitution found in Article V. Contact me at Brett.Sterley@cosaction.com, and I will connect you with our Missouri team for more information.
This year, every vote really does count.
In liberty,
Brett
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