Month: August 2014

A government shutdown, like the one last October, happens when the House won’t spend money that the Senate and President want.
Even though the House is well within its historical and constitutional perogatives, it’s still the House’s fault. I think that’s bullshit, but I’m in a minority.
So Obama’s “plan” was to unilaterally legalize 5 million illegals, provoking the House Republicans into another shutdown. Just about every Republican, including Ted Cruz, I believe, said now way, Jose.
So Obama’s going to wait until after the election to legalize them.
Damn! I always kind of doubted that Obama and his political team were so incredibly stupid that they’d do it before the election.
Oh, well.
A lot of chatter about the wave. Most seem to think that if one were coming we’d see clearer signs of its approach.
Maybe. Maybe not.
I like to fantasize about this being a realignment election, like ’32 or ’46. But more likely it’s like 1980. Except with no Reagan, and none in sight.
I remember 1980. I was Frank Murkowski’s deputy campaign manager up in Alaska, but I was watching the national scene, knew what was happening.
I remember this — on Labor Day in 1980 no one, and I mean no one, could see a sign of a wave.
But it was coming.

In the first four months of 2015 we get MT, WY, UT, ND, and SD — getting us to 29. Utah and South Dakota are looking better, so I’m including them. Then South Carolina — 30. Then Kentucky — 31. Then Wisconsin — 32. So just as the Republican nomination fight begins in earnest, toward the close of 2015, Virginia legislative elections are held in November. An issue in these elections is Article V — will Republican legislative candidates in Virginia support an Article V BBA?
At this point any Republican strategist who is paying attention will realize the impact a successful Article V move toward a BBA will have on the 2016 general election. So the Presidential campaigns (or most of them) embrace our efforts, and help us in Virginia. And they help, and fund, our efforts in Arizona (33), Oklahoma (34), Idaho (35), Virginia (36) and West Virginia (37).
I don’t know where the drama of the 34th state passing the reso will take place — Phoenix? Boise? Richmond? But it will be a national story. The whole issue of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution will generate a lot of stories. Article V will have to be explained to the low information voter.
Then Congress aggregates the 34, and sets a time and place for the Amendment Convention, and also chooses a means of ratification — by special ratification conventions, or by state legislatures.
Drama in each state as delegations are selected, and delegate limitations are debated.
Drama over the election of the Convention Chairman, and then all of the deliberations and votes of the Convention.
And, if the timing works, elections to the ratification conventions take place in November 2016, coinciding with the Presidential election.
If I’m a Republican running for President, this is the dream scenario.
And it could happen.

Within the next few weeks Obama will unilaterally grant a form of amnesty to as many as 5 million illegal immigrants. This, by itself, will eliminate any chance the D’s had to keep the Senate. I think it will do more. The wind of indignation will whip the incoming wave of voter anger to even greater heights. If we don’t win the Kentucky House I’ll eat my hat. We should pick up one other state legislature as well — Maine, Oregon, or Washington. Just as important, it will strengthen our state legislative majorities from Montana to Wisconsin. The greater the size of the Republican majority, the more R votes we can afford to lose to the Birchers, and still pass our bill.
It takes a lot to penetrate the consciousness of low information voters — they don’t pay any attention to politics, don’t really care about it. They’re getting ready for deer season, or football, or the pennant races. Getting their kids back to school, figuring out how to pay the bills. The liberal shills of the MSM know this, and use it to their advantage. But every once in a while, like 1980, or 1994, or 2010 these people do pay some attention. And 5 million is a number they can understand.
Thanks, B.

Phil Regeski is a Cheyenne civil engineer running against the Wyoming House Democratic Minority Leader. I’ve talked to him twice, and he understands the significance of a successful Article V movement as well as I do. That’s saying something. He’s being backed in his campaign by Susan Gore, founder of the Wyoming Liberty Group. When I talked to Speaker Lubnau (no fan of hers) he said she has enough clout to sway 18-20 votes in the House.
These are the most conservative members of the Wyoming House — these are the people we need. If we get them I have very little doubt we pick up Wyoming.
Phil says she’s not affiliated with Eagle Forum, which means she should have an open mind. If she’ll give us a fair hearing we’ll win her over. Our arguments are just too strong. I’ll be working pretty closely with Phil all the way down the line. He says he, and some others in his group, want to be involved beyond the borders of Wyoming. Well, yes, thank you.
I can’t say I’ve really got a handle on the politics of Article V in Wyoming, but I sure get good vibes.
I’ll count on Phil to figure how we approach Gore.

Dave served on a panel with him a few years ago, and apparently just got back in touch. He’s agreed to make a call for us, and requested all sorts of follow up information from Dave: all our literature, research, etc.
This could be a big deal. Barnett’s a big Article V man, and he carries some serious clout in the highest circles of conservative legal scholarship. These guys are big hitters, intellectually, and Barnett could get some of them behind us. They have access to the money boys.
Barnett’s kind of libertarian, so I’m a big fan. Because his name was Randy, I thought he was some young macho guy. Actually Barnett is, and looks like, a 63 year old secular Jew.
What a country.