Last week we sent out an urgent, nationwide request. We asked all Americans committed to constitutional governance to contact West Virginia legislators and urge them to stand against the shenanigans of a few men in positions of power. Thank you to the thousands of you who responded to that call.
Here’s a brief recap of what happened:
Just after SCR 10, our Convention of States resolution, passed in the WV Senate, we were made aware that WV House Speaker Tim Armstead had told the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Delegate John Shott, to only allow one Article V resolution to pass to the Floor for a final vote.
After multiple days of hearings attended by dedicated West Virginia COS volunteers, it was finally time for the vote. In a surprise move that violated WV House Rules, the Chairman took a voice vote, which he immediately called in favor of the ‘nays.’ He adamantly refused a prompt request to record a roll-call vote as required by the Rules, without further explanation.
Despite the fact that SCR 10 (the COS resolution) had already been passed by the Senate, the House advanced the ‘Balanced Budget Amendment’ resolution instead—thus complying with the stated wishes of one man, Speaker Tim Armstead. This resolution went on to pass in the final minutes of business in the senate on Saturday.
This travesty that unfolded in West Virginia is a classic example of politicians ignoring the will of the people. The will of the people, in this case, was abundantly clear. In fact, thanks to your dedication, the WV House received over 3,800 e-mails from around the country.
Some of you may be thinking that this debacle indicates that we should give up—that no matter how hard we work or how strong our grassroots movement is, we can never accomplish our goal of regaining control over our government. But in fact, all that has happened is that the stakes have been raised. Speaker Armstead and a dozen or so powerful legislators across the country have resisted this citizens’ movement on the basis of one assumption: that we will give up and go away.
It’s time for us to prove them wrong. It’s time for us to show every opponent to COS in every state legislature in America that when they thumb their noses at Americans who have pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to ushering in a true constitutional reformation, they do so at their peril.
Many state legislators believe that when they consider the COS resolution is considered in their state, that it has nothing to do with the other 49 states. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Unlike virtually anything else that they will ever consider in their state legislature, their actions in regard to calling a Convention of States under Article V of the Constitution is in direct relation to the other states, and has a direct effect on each and every citizen of the United States of America. So they need to understand that in acting on Article V, they are acting at a national level, and will be watched and judged at a national level. They can be national heroes, or national zeroes.
In the case of West Virginia, last week, the leadership who conducted the scam vote in committee chose to be less than zero.
They don't like being in the national spotlight when they do things like this, but this is a national movement, and they will feel the heat of the spotlight, like it or not. And when they do the right thing, they will receive the gratitude of the nation. But the days of hiding in the shadows and failing to do the will of the People are gone. The people deserve to know, and know they shall.
Please stay tuned for further calls to action. If you are able, click here to become a district captain or other state leader.
Thank you, again, for your dedication. I leave you with these words from Winston Churchill:
“Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never. In nothing, great or small, large or petty. Never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
