Volunteer Voice 29th Edition

Conservative Values are Biblical Values

By Jim MacDonald

What is the definition of a conservative? The progressive left thrives on setting the narrative and trying to identify the opposition by their actions. In other words, to determine what the left is doing, observe what they are accusing the right of doing. For example, watch the words and actions of the leftists in this country; you will clearly see they are racist, fascist, intolerant, and corrupt. Yet, this is exactly what they accuse conservatives of being.

A popular joke from people on the left about people on the right is: Humans were supposed to be intellectual and sensible. Then people made God and conservatives.

I would define conservatives as people who want to preserve our godly, founding, and Constitutional principles—hence the word conserve.

So, what are conservative values, and how are they Biblical?

Listed below are several common conservative values the progressive left would love to eliminate:

A Secure Border

A secure border is necessary to protect the American people’s life, liberty, and property. Unfortunately, the Biden administration has allowed the invasion of millions of people into our country through the southern border. Biden’s actions are unconstitutional, immoral, and corrupt from the standpoint of their intentions to create a new voting class. No other nation in the world allows people to enter their borders at will.

Biblical: After the Babylonians took the Israelites into captivity, they destroyed the city of Jerusalem, tore down the walls, and burned the gates. Seventy years later, after the Persians conquered the Babylonians, Nehemiah earned the king’s favor over time, allowing Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city.

They began by building the walls and the city gates before they made their homes. This was in order to protect the people from intruders. However, while building the wall, they also had to remain vigilant with their swords because the enemy was not happy with their intentions. See Nehemiah chapters 1-6.

Freedom to Own Property

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How to Obtain Lasting Liberty

By Jim MacDonald

When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution of the United States, they intended to design a government that would secure the freedom and liberty of the people. However, the Founders were aware that when power is granted to a person or group unrestrained, it will never satisfy the human desire for increased power.

John Adams wrote: The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty.

In Noah Webster’s American Dictionary (1828 edition), the word virtue means: Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice; the practice of moral duties from sincere love to God and His laws, is virtue and religion. Virtue is nothing but voluntary obedience to the truth.

The Constitution instituted a republican form of government—one that limits the direct power of any person or group. Furthermore, each state established a republican structure of government, limiting power even more. Therefore, with each state operating as a republic, America has fifty separate republics within a republic.

This form of government has benefited America well. However, for this style of government to last and not be corrupted, it requires moral leadership chosen by a virtuous electorate. Herein lies the problem.

Over the last hundred years, the sincere love for God and His laws has dissipated among the majority of people. Consequently, obedience to truth has been eradicated, and complacency, licentiousness, loss of courage, and self-restraint have become prevalent. They indulge in self-gratification, decadence, pleasure pursuit, and sexual promiscuity.

History has proven time and time again that from there, the nation dies.

For America to survive, which no other nation has ever done: First, the people sovereign over the government must seek God’s face and pray for a spiritual revival. Next, we determine moral goodness and righteousness by reading and studying the Bible. Then live our lives and mentor others accordingly. From there, we’ll elect moral and virtuous representatives.

Meanwhile, we utilize the gift our Founders gave us in Article V of the Constitution to call a convention of states to propose amendments that will restore freedom and liberty to the people. The absolute and arbitrary power that has been usurped from the people must be returned. But note, only virtuous people will make that happen.

Suppose Americans, whose faith has made them resilient, will decide to overcome complacency and licentiousness and become self-restraint and courageous. In that case, they can be warriors for God and a Biblical citizen of America.

And a Biblical Citizen is necessary to obtain a lasting liberty.

Inspiring Marine veteran recounts his service and why he’s now serving in the COS grassroots

Published in Blog on November 14, 2022 by COS Staff Writer

From a childhood in the suburbs of Chicago to a life serving his nation, a true American hero has blessed this country all his life, and he’s now fighting to save our nation’s future through Convention of States.

COS Tennessee District Captain Thomas Riordan had a wonderful experience in the Marines with great leaders who took him under their wings to help him grow. Lance Corporal Riordan was sent to Japan where he was assigned to the Control Tower at Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni. Seasoned combat veterans taught him how to separate airplanes and lead Marines. Aviation Is unforgiving, they told him. They encouraged him to study and know flight rules, airplanes, weather, and mission well.

Years later he went on to flight school with the Navy in Pensacola and was selected to fly the KC130 tactical aerial refueling aircraft. While serving, he witnessed several fatal accidents as a controller and had several near misses as a pilot. He also lost a fellow instructor and student in his primary training squadron, all of which took a toll on him.

“This weighed on my heart, but I still wanted to fly. There is nothing as exhilarating as flying high-performance aircraft. You must be at the top of your game and 100% in tune with the airplane,” described Riordan. “Often, things go wrong. Navy flight training is the best in the world, but even that isn’t enough, so I leaned on Jesus to help me bring the airplane home.”

He flew worldwide in support of Marine Corps units. He also did a tour at the Marine Barracks in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as the Commanding Officer’s Tactical Air Control Party representative, the Assistant Operations Officer, and for several months as the Headquarters Company Commander, an infantry officer billet. His last tour of duty was with the Navy as Primary Fight Instructor at Pensacola and Whiting Field, Florida.

After 20 years in the Marines, he retired and briefly flew for a commuter airline. He was in an interview with UPS Airlines on 9/11. “The interview went well until I came out to the lobby and saw on the TV an airplane fly into the second tower. Immediately, all airlines stopped flying, and UPS stopped hiring.” He considered returning to the Marines but, with three kids under 4, he did not want to leave his wife to raise them alone.

Soul searching, he ended his flying career and became a financial advisor in Chicago. He worked for a national advisory firm and was very successful, winning awards for performance. “All I did was tell the truth and only sold people what they needed.” After a couple of good years, everyone knew the markets were overvalued. In the Wall Street Journal, he found a telling notice where the Feds had removed the uptick rule, an important market protection. He told his boss: “We need to put everyone in cash. The market will crash soon, and the government is trying to create it.” His boss said, “you are not paid to think. You are paid to sell.” He told him to have Goldman Sachs give a dinner seminar to his clients, who advised them to buy stocks. The market crashed within a few months of his call to his boss. Two years later, when Riordan heard that Goldman had put all their high-net-worth clients in cash at the same time they told Riordan’s clients to buy stocks, He left the industry. First, he tried to go independent, but his prior firm attacked his character and destroyed his reputation, and his clients left him. So he returned to school to get his MBA. He concentrated in marketing and finance. There he asked his professors how did the banks do it? The government had safety valves and rules implemented after the market crash of 1929. His professors said President Clinton deregulated the banking industry in 1999, removing all those protections. “Within 10 years of deregulation, our banks and markets collapsed the world’s economy putting millions out of work,” said Riordan.

He completed his MBA but still could not get employment. Now behind on his mortgage, Bank of America foreclosed on his home. “The banks that caused the crisis got bailed out by Obama and the people whose homes they took were blamed for the crisis. Later, he also learned that Clinton and Obama were awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in donations to their foundations after they left the White House. Thousand died of stress-related illness, suicide, and substance abuse. More were homeless. He could not let go of these thoughts.

Riordan moved his family to Tennessee to live with his in-laws. He found a job as a government contractor in Afghanistan, and for two years, he flew combat reconnaissance/surveillance missions looking for the Taliban. Afterward, the University of Tennessee hired him to fly their executive plane. Almost a year after that, he started his own business, which he ran for 5 years until Covid policies kept him from finding anyone who wanted to work. There was plenty of work and plenty of people not working. The government paid people more to stay home. Tired of federal overreach and mismanagement, he decided to do something.

He and his wife successfully raised their children, his son is now in the Marines, and his daughters are enrolled in college. It was time for him to get involved.

“Our elected representatives are owned by corporations, super-wealthy elites, and foreign and domestic entities. The candidates tell us what we need to hear to get our vote, but then they legislate to the donor,” he said. “With its prominent grassroots activists making calls, writing letters, posting online, and visiting legislators, COS has the best chance to overcome the money influence.”

With his inspiring story and life-changing experiences, he offered two sources of transformation for the future – education and prayer.

“Education and prayer will turn the tide, God willing. A Convention of States is a start, but building an educated, prayerful active grassroots tradition is the solution to saving and preserving the republic called the United States of America for generations to come.”

We thank you, Major Thomas Riordan, for sharing your story and for all your work for American freedom, both in the military and through Convention of States.

Become a Faithful Servant

By Jim MacDonald

Can you believe this year, 2022, has nearly ended? As we get older, it seems the hours of our lives are more like minutes, weeks like days, and months like weeks. Finally, we enter the month of December, and it feels like the year just began.

Looking back on this year with Convention of States Action (COSA), four new states joined the movement to call a convention. With nineteen states passing the resolution, we need only fifteen more states.

The momentum continues to mount, though not as fast as the years passed. This Article V movement the Founders recognized we would someday need can’t come fast enough. With Nine years since the beginning and nineteen states ready to go, conceivably, one might think we still have six to ten years before we realize the fruits of our labor.

Waiting patiently for the Lord

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes—Psalms 37:7

With COSA gaining momentum, the movement appears on the radar of friends and foes. Hit pieces from every direction are occurring. Unfortunately, even from groups that one would expect to be supporters of utilizing the Constitution to save the Constitution. We must be patient as we continue teaching, encouraging, and taking action despite the enemy’s wicked schemes.

“The work is ours but the results are God’s.”—John Quincy Adams

“He says, Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”—Psalms 46: 10

It is easy to become annoyed, anxious, and distracted when doing what we know is right. The founders would not be surprised by the federal government’s usurpation of power but added the second clause of article V in the Constitution for the solution. Thomas Jefferson said: “They (the people) may be led astray for a moment, but will soon correct themselves.” We must now work diligently and trust in the Lord.

Ushering in a new season

With the year 2023 upon us, what are your goals? One year from now, we’ll look back and ask where did this year go? Did we accomplish the goals we established? Are we better off than we were a year ago? More importantly, can we see a convention being scheduled in the near future because of the work we did during the year?

If we haven’t done so already, let’s take the month of December and write strong SMART goals for the coming year. Twelve months from today, we’ll look back at our accomplishments with huge smiles on our faces. Finally, we can say that we achieved this…and this…and this! How awesome and motivated will you be? How much better off will our nation be? Can you hear the words:

Well done, good and faithful servant!

Merry Christmas, and may our new year be filled with blessings and joy!

Attention All Convention of States Action Members and Supporters

On Tuesday, January 10th, 2023, the 113th Tennessee General Assembly convenes at the Capitol in Nashville, TN. The neighbors we elected to serve Tennesseeans for the next two years will begin their session. This ceremonial day will be a meet and greet for the representatives and the public.

As COSA grass-roots activists and supporters, we always attend to meet, welcome, and thank our representatives for serving the great state of Tennessee. This year will be no different. We plan to schedule meetings with each representative and senator that day. Our goal is to bring as many constituents from their district to the meeting as possible.

Last year was a record year for attendees, and we hope to break that record this coming year. We are always very well received. The representatives and senators are excited to know their voter base is concerned and involved in what’s happening in their district and state.

Our mission at the Convention of States Action is to bring the power of our government back to the state representatives where it belongs. Because, as the Founders intended, these people are the farmers, locksmiths, doctors, lawyers, and business owners in our local community.

It is so important that they know we are engaged in the politics of our community.

I hope you will consider joining us.

Further details will follow in the next newsletter, the Facebook page, and email blasts.