Term Limits

Would you like to see term limits enacted on members of the United States Congress, perhaps even on members of the Supreme Court, the federal judiciary? 75% of the American people answer "Yes" when polled with the straight up question: "Do you support Term Limits for members of the United States Congress?"

  

I can almost guarantee that if we get an Article V Convention, this alone will cause most of those 535 members of Congress to wet their pants.

 

In theory, there is nothing wrong with keeping a good public servant in office for as long as the official and we the voters want him or her there. But through gerrymandering of House districts, congressional perks, a ton of free media, incumbents are simply ridiculously hard to remove from office.  Our framers NEVER envisioned elected officials to make a career of serving in Congress and this practice has led to a power drunk United States Congress that in many ways appears to be in intentional collusion with the other branches in order to maintain power, whether it be in minority party of the majority party.

  

Do you think the United States Congress will EVER propose such an amendment via the U.S. Congress? The vast majority of our current 535 members of both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate are staggering, falling down drunk on the intoxicating effects of Congressional perks and power.

 

Article V of The United States Constitution provides a second mode for proposing amendments that has never been used. Today, there are many who have never studied or even read Article V that are fearful of using the mode because like most things that are feared, they simply do not understand it. I don't say this disparagingly other than that it is very frustrating that many that oppose this...when I talk to them and explain it...they never knew that it was actually IN the Constitution.  They say that we need to use the process whereby Congress proposes amendments and sends them to the states...they talk about "opening up the Constitution" when we use this process. That kind of talk betrays their misunderstanding or lack of understanding altogether on Article V.  The second mode that involves the states is no different than the first mode whereby the U.S. Congress proposes amendments, the ONLY difference being that the amendments would come from the states without ANY participation by the United States Congress.  That thought almost makes me want to do cartwheels.  But here is the thing that most don't seem to understand.  An Article V COS cannot change one word of the Constitution on its own.  Just like all 27 of our current amendments that came from the U.S. Congress, any amendment coming from a COS MUST be sent back to all 50 states for ratification and a minimum of 3/4ths (38) would have to ratify them for any of them to take effect.

 

An Article V Convention of States could more than likely move such an amendment to the states in the first few days of a Convention...I suspect it would be the kind of "low hanging fruit" that could be proposed as an amendment and pumped out to the states for ratification almost immediately. Then 38 states would have to ratify such an amendment for term limits to be part of the United States Constitution.

  

I am the State Director in South Carolina for the Convention of States Project. Many other states right now have someone just like me doing the same thing. You can volunteer as a District Captain here in South Carolina or in any state that now has a growing grassroots COS movement. Help us do this by signing up at www.conventionofstates.com

Thanksgiving History and The Glory of God - Part II

Part II: The Man Named Squanto

Another fascinating thing that we see from the historical account provided by William Bradford, about the people we refer to today as the "Pilgrims", is God's hand of provision for their dwindling numbers in the early part of year following their arrival at what they called "New Plymouth".  Their first encounters with native American Indians are interesting and nothing short of miraculous. Keep in mind that the "frontier" of North America would have been literally at the beach line on the east coast. This group of Pilgrims was desperately in need of help in how to survive this new land with its unknown wildlife and other unforeseen dangers and hardships. With that in mind, let’s look at this account from Bradford's journal in the first months after landing at the northern tip of Cape Cod in November of 1620:

"All this while the Indians carne skulking [sneaking] about them, and would sometimes show themselves aloof [remote, unapproachable] off, but when any approached near them, they would run away. And once they stole away their [the Pilgrims’] tools where they had been at work, and were gone to dinner. But about the sixteenth of March a certain Indian came boldly amongst them, and spoke to them in broken English, which they could well understand, but marveled at it. At length they understood by discourse with him, that he was not of these parts, but belonged to the eastern parts, where some English-ships came to fish, with whom he was acquainted, and could name sundry of them by their names, amongst whom he had got his language. He became profitable to them in acquainting them with many things concerning the state of the country in the east-parts where he lived, which was afterwards profitable unto them; as also of the people here, of their names, number, and strength; of their situation and distance from this place, and who was chief amongst them."

"His name was Samoset; he told them also of another Indian whose name was Squanto, a native of this place, who had been in England and could speak better English than himself. Being, after some time of entertainment and gifts, dismissed, a while after he carne again, and five more with him, and they brought again all the tools that were stolen away before, and made way for the coming of their great Sachem [chief, tribal leader], called Massasoit; who, about four or five days after, carne with the chief of his friends and other attendance, with the aforesaid Squanto."

Interestingly enough, what followed is not talked about much today, the next part of Bradford's journal records an agreement that was reached between these two groups. The journal records that "they made a peace with him [Massasoit]" (which continued for 24 years). This is important to note due to revisionist historians today that try to paint a distorted picture of the relationship between these early settlers and Native American Indians.  Just like depravity resides in all men today, it resided in all men at that time too. Just like there are "peaceful" people today, there were "peaceful" Indians back then.  Just as there are "wicked" people today, there were "wicked" people back then (both European and Native American Indian).  One cannot lump all of history into one sock so to speak. When we look at history from a Biblical Worldview, we ought to look at all of it; the good, the bad, and the ugly!  However, what we see in Bradford's account is God's hand at work bringing a group [tribe] of peaceful native Indians to the rescue of this group of English Separatists looking for the early vestiges of religious freedom in a new land. Take note of the items agreed to in Bradford's journal:

"1. That neither he nor any of his, should injure or do hurt to any of their people.

2. That if any of his did any hurt to any of theirs, he should send the offender, that they might punish him.

3. That if anything were taken away from any of theirs [the Pilgrims’], he [Massasoit] should cause it to be restored; and they should do the like to his.

4. If any did unjustly war against him [Massasoit], they [the Pilgrims] would aide him; if any did war against them, he [Massasoit] should aid them [the Pilgrims].

5. He should send to his neighbor’s confederates, to certify them of this, that they might not wrong them, but might be likewise comprised in the conditions of peace. [That is, different tribes should share members to prevent warfare or serve as hostages in case of war.]

6. That when their [the Indians’] men came to them [the Pilgrims], they [the Indians] should leave their bows and arrows behind them."

"After these things he [Massasoit] returned to his place called Sowams, some 40 miles from this place, but Squanto continued with them, and was their interpreter, and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation. He directed them how to set their corn, where to take fish, and to procure other commodities, and was also their pilot to bring them to unknown places for their profit, and never left them till he died. He was a native of this place, and scarce any left alive beside himself."

Don't miss the significance of this, nothing short of miraculous is the fact that this group of English Separatists were originally bound and chartered for a settlement in Virginia but were blown off course and landed in a desolate location unknown to them.  A harsh winter is awaiting them, and they desperately need help from someone knowledgeable of the local area. Into this God sends an Indian that speaks broken English [Samoset], but who knows another Indian that speaks fluent English [Squanto].  Ask yourself what the chances are that this group of Pilgrims accidentally landing in a location with one of the few if not only friendly English speaking Indians in North America? Coincidence or the providential hand of God?  Today we have all kinds of revisionists historians that have tried to rewrite our nation’s history and rewrite the hand of God out of it...look closely at this and decide for yourself.  Recall Bradford's words that I quoted above, Bradford referred to Squanto as "a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation".

Bradford records that in late September of 1621, a group from New Plymouth set out to help another group that had settled in a nearby area, that in Bradford's terms had "made havoc of their provisions" and realized that "want [or need] would press them" in the coming winter months. In other word's this group had made unwise choices for their provisions and needed help. So they set out with this group to help them. Bradford records the following:
 

"All things being provided, Captain Standish was appointed to go with them, and Squanto for a guide and interpreter, about the latter end of September; but the winds put them in again, and putting out the second time, he [Captain Standish] fell sick of a fever, so the Governor went himself. But they could not get about the shoals of Cape Cod for flats and breakers, neither could Squanto direct them better, nor the master durst venture any further, so they put into Manamoyick Bay and got what they could there. In this place Squanto fell sick of an Indian fever, bleeding much at the nose (which the Indians take for a symptom of death), and within a few days died there; desiring the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen’s God in heaven, and bequeathed sundry of his things to sundry of his English friends, as remembrances of his love; of whom they had a great loss."
 

God had used this incredible man, Squanto. God through His marvelous works had ordained for Squanto to be taken to England years before by an earlier north Atlantic fishing expedition. This Indian had learned fluent English, and miraculously had been returned to his native land a few years later. Think about that...think about the time we are talking about...do you realize how utterly incredible those events are?  Then this group of Separatists from the Church of England set out to cross the Atlantic bound for a colony in Virginia...the end up in a place far from their intended destination.  They end up in a place where maybe the only fluent English speaking Native American Indian resides! God uses this man to train and help these early settlers and seekers of religious liberty.

The words of the Mayflower Compact tell us why these Pilgrims crossed the foreboding and dangerous north Atlantic ocean: "Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith".  These words tell us that they came to engage God's creation in a new world, they came to take God principles to the rest of His creation.  Let me be sure about one thing as I bring this to a close; these men were not perfect men, they were flawed men. But God was using them to take baby steps towards the liberty that we see written into the Bible. Lastly, don't miss what happened to Squanto! By all indications God used these Pilgrims to draw Squanto unto Himself, Bradford tells us that Squanto's last dying wish was to know this great God of these Englishmen and I am sure they were more than happy to share the good news of salvation with their Indian friend!

 My hope is that you will read this story to your families as you observe our great national tradition and gather for a Thanksgiving meal. Pass on these great historical events that point to the great guiding hand of Almighty God. Give thanks for all our Great God has done for us in this incredible nation, founded for HIS PURPOSES and for HIS GLORY!

Thanksgiving History And The Glory of God

The Man Named Squanto

As we prepare for our traditional holiday dedicated to the giving of thanks in our nation, permit me to share a fascinating thing that we see from the historical account provided by William Bradford, about the people we refer to today as the "Pilgrims". God's hand of provision for this small groups dwindling numbers in the early part of year following their arrival at what they called "New Plymouth".  Their first encounters with native American Indians are interesting and nothing short of miraculous. Keep in mind that the "frontier" of North America would have been literally at the beach line on the east coast. This group of Pilgrims was desperately in need of help in how to survive this new land with its unknown wildlife and other unforeseen dangers and hardships. With that in mind, let’s look at this account from Bradford's journal in the first months after landing at the northern tip of Cape Cod in November of 1620:

"All this while the Indians carne skulking [sneaking] about them, and would sometimes show themselves aloof [remote, unapproachable] off, but when any approached near them, they would run away. And once, they stole away their [the Pilgrims’] tools where they had been at work, and were gone to dinner. But about the sixteenth of March a certain Indian came boldly amongst them, and spoke to them in broken English, which they could well understand, but marveled at it. At length they understood by discourse with him, that he was not of these parts, but belonged to the eastern parts, where some English-ships came to fish, with whom he was acquainted, and could name sundry of them by their names, amongst whom he had got his language. He became profitable to them in acquainting them with many things concerning the state of the country in the east-parts where he lived, which was afterwards profitable unto them; as also of the people here, of their names, number, and strength; of their situation and distance from this place, and who was chief amongst them."

"His name was Samoset; he told them also of another Indian whose name was Squanto, a native of this place, who had been in England and could speak better English than himself. Being, after some time of entertainment and gifts, dismissed, a while after he carne again, and five more with him, and they brought again all the tools that were stolen away before, and made way for the coming of their great Sachem [chief, tribal leader], called Massasoit; who, about four or five days after, carne with the chief of his friends and other attendance, with the aforesaid Squanto."

Interestingly enough, what followed is not talked about much today, the next part of Bradford's journal records an agreement that was reached between these two groups. The journal records that "they made a peace with him [Massasoit]" (which continued for 24 years). This is important to note due to revisionist historians today that try to paint a distorted picture of the relationship between these early settlers and Native American Indians.  Just like depravity resides in all men today, it resided in all men at that time too. Just like there are "peaceful" people today, there were "peaceful" Indians back then.  Just as there are "wicked" people today, there were "wicked" people back then (both European and Native American Indian).  One cannot lump all of history into one sock so to speak. When we look at history from a Biblical Worldview, we ought to look at all of it; the good, the bad, and the ugly!  However, what we see in Bradford's account is God's hand at work bringing a group [tribe] of peaceful native Indians to the rescue of this group of English Separatists looking for the early vestiges of religious freedom in a new land. Take note of the items agreed to in Bradford's journal:

"1. That neither he nor any of his, should injure or do hurt to any of their people.

2. That if any of his did any hurt to any of theirs, he should send the offender, that they might punish him.

3. That if anything were taken away from any of theirs [the Pilgrims’], he [Massasoit] should cause it to be restored; and they should do the like to his.

4. If any did unjustly war against him [Massasoit], they [the Pilgrims] would aide him; if any did war against them, he [Massasoit] should aid them [the Pilgrims].

5. He should send to his neighbor’s confederates, to certify them of this, that they might not wrong them, but might be likewise comprised in the conditions of peace. [That is, different tribes should share members to prevent warfare or serve as hostages in case of war.]

6. That when their [the Indians’] men came to them [the Pilgrims], they [the Indians] should leave their bows and arrows behind them."

"After these things he [Massasoit] returned to his place called Sowams, some 40 miles from this place, but Squanto continued with them, and was their interpreter, and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation. He directed them how to set their corn, where to take fish, and to procure other commodities, and was also their pilot to bring them to unknown places for their profit, and never left them till he died. He was a native of this place, and scarce any left alive beside himself."

Don't miss the significance of this, nothing short of miraculous is the fact that this group of English Separatists were originally bound and chartered for a settlement in Virginia but were blown off course and landed in a desolate location unknown to them.  A harsh winter is awaiting them, and they desperately need help from someone knowledgeable of the local area. Into this God sends an Indian that speaks broken English [Samoset], but who knows another Indian that speaks fluent English [Squanto].  Ask yourself what the chances are that this group of Pilgrims accidentally landing in a location with one of the few if not only friendly English speaking Indians in North America? Coincidence or the providential hand of God?  Today we have all kinds of revisionists historians that have tried to rewrite our nation’s history and rewrite the hand of God out of it...look closely at this and decide for yourself.  Recall Bradford's words that I quoted above, Bradford referred to Squanto as "a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation".Bradford records that in late September of 1621, a group from New Plymouth set out to help another group that had settled in a nearby area, that in Bradford's terms had "made havoc of their provisions" and realized that "want [or need] would press them" in the coming winter months. In other word's this group had made unwise choices for their provisions and needed help. So they set out with this group to help them. Bradford records the following:
 

"All things being provided, Captain Standish was appointed to go with them, and Squanto for a guide and interpreter, about the latter end of September; but the winds put them in again, and putting out the second time, he [Captain Standish] fell sick of a fever, so the Governor went himself. But they could not get about the shoals of Cape Cod for flats and breakers, neither could Squanto direct them better, nor the master durst venture any further, so they put into Manamoyick Bay and got what they could there. In this place Squanto fell sick of an Indian fever, bleeding much at the nose (which the Indians take for a symptom of death), and within a few days died there; desiring the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen’s God in heaven, and bequeathed sundry of his things to sundry of his English friends, as remembrances of his love; of whom they had a great loss."

God had used this incredible man, Squanto. God through His marvelous works had ordained for Squanto to be taken to England years before by an earlier north Atlantic fishing expedition. This Indian had learned fluent English, and miraculously had been returned to his native land a few years later. Think about that...think about the time we are talking about...do you realize how utterly incredible those events are?  Then this group of Separatists from the Church of England set out to cross the Atlantic bound for a colony in Virginia...the end up in a place far from their intended destination.  They end up in a place where maybe the only fluent English speaking Native American Indian resides! God uses this man to train and help these early settlers and seekers of religious liberty.

The words of the Mayflower Compact tell us why these Pilgrims crossed the foreboding and dangerous north Atlantic ocean: "Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith".  These words tell us that they came to engage God's creation in a new world, they came to take God principles to the rest of His creation.  Let me be sure about one thing as I bring this to a close; these men were not perfect men, they were flawed men. But God was using them to take baby steps towards the liberty that we see written into the Bible. Lastly, don't miss what happened to Squanto! By all indications God used these Pilgrims to draw Squanto unto Himself, Bradford tells us that Squanto's last dying wish was to know this great God of these Englishmen and I am sure they were more than happy to share the good news of salvation with their Indian friend!

My hope is that you will read this incredible story of God's goodness to your families as you observe our great national tradition and gather for a Thanksgiving meal. Pass on these great historical events that point to the great guiding hand of Almighty God. Give thanks for all our Great God has done for us in this incredible nation, founded for HIS PURPOSES and for HIS GLORY!

Clarity on the "Shutdown"

Recently Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin made the statement on a Sunday news program that it was a “bad thing for the Republicans to shut down the government”. This is amazing coming from a guy like Scott Walker who stood his ground in Wisconsin against the unions and survived a recall effort by the left in that state. But it does reveal the deep lack of understanding of Constitutional Conservatism by many in the Republican Party. We know the left are clueless to the Constitution and limited government, but it’s really disheartening when we hear a conservative regurgitating the liberal talking points.

Here’s where the Constitutional lesson comes in. Under Article I, Section 7 of the United States Constitution, the House of Representatives has SOLE power of funding ANYTHING in the federal government, that authority is complete…meaning the authority to authorize spending, whether in a budget or off budget (since we have no budget), whether that funding is for already passed statutory law or for something that any branch has need of…that authority rests solely in the hands of the 435 member House of Representatives. The framers specifically designed this on purpose so as to require authorization for spending to come from the legislative body closest to the people and therefore the most responsive to the people’s wishes. This past October, as I have stated before, the system worked just as it was designed. The House responded to the pressure of the people to defund the Affordable Care Act. The House did not shut down the government. They did exactly what they were supposed to do with the responsibility they have over the “check book”.

Now, obviously…anything the House does with spending legislation must also be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President. But those latter requirements have nothing to do with who has sole responsibility to decide whether to fund something or not fund it. When the spending bill came over from the House to the Senate, the responsibility to pass the bill that would have funded the rest of the government at that point rested squarely on the shoulders of the 100 member Senate body. The events that followed are not in dispute…the President and the Majority Democrat Senate made it their mission to not pass the funding bill. By not passing the funding bill for 16 days, the responsibility for “shutting down” the government (or at least 13 % of it) fell squarely on the shoulders of the Democrats and the President.

Which brings us back to Scott Walker…why would this man and many, many other Republicans continue to regurgitate the liberal talking points that Republicans “shut the government” down?

The answer is a bitter, bitter pill for us to swallow. We continue to elect people…some of them very good conservatives, but nevertheless we continue to elect people that do not understand the Constitution and / or cannot articulate the principles we believe in. We must demand more of those we elect than simply they cast the right vote. We need Constitutional Statesmen that can determine Constitutional courses of action and then turn around to the American people and explain those actions.

"God Is In Control"

Have you ever heard or had another Christian (or even a non Christian) say to you "God is in control"?  Those words of truth can be reassuring and comforting words of reminder to us when we are overcome by the heaviness of our circumstances. Make no mistake about...the scriptures are replete with the testimony that those words are indeed the absolute Truth. Indeed the God of the universe is in complete control.

I bring this up because of the amount of times I hear those words stated to me in relation to my passion to encourage Christians to be, at a minimum...cognizant of what is going on in their nation, if not much more engaged in pursuing a minimum understanding of how our government is designed to work under the Constitution. The statement "God is in control" is not used so much to relate its truth, as it is as some sort of message to silence those that are engaged. I am convinced that it also is used many times to relieve oneself of his/her responsibility to be engaged.

Let's try this on for size...how many people that use that phrase are apt to let go of the steering wheel on their vehicle as they are driving around town? After all, "God IS in control"...right?  Are you not trusting of God enough to "let go and let God" when it comes to the steering wheel of your vehicle as you hurtle down the road navigating turns, lanes of traffic, and intersections?? After all God is in control....why "worry", He will take care of everything for you!

You say, "come on Bob, that's way different, and your being silly and making a ridiculous comparison....you can't just let go of your steering wheel on your car, it's a machine...and after all Bob, you got into the car of your own mind, God would expect you to keep your hands on the wheel".  All true.  I couldn't agree more.

But let me show you why you're telling me the EXACT same thing when you tell me not to "worry" about what is going on in our country, because God is in control.  I would be the first to agree with you again, that as Christians, we never have to "worry".  We serve a God that we know IS in control.  However, just as you would not let go of the steering wheel of your vehicle as you drive down the road, why would you let go of the "steering wheel" of your government? Both the vehicle and our government are designed to operate with people at the controls. Just as you would never quit steering your car as you go down the road, why would you think you could quit "steering" our government which was actually designed for much more input from you than the few corrections you make on your steering wheel as you navigate the streets and highways.

Permit me to take this illustration a few steps further. Any sensible driver will pay at least minimum attention to the gauges on the dashboard to see if everything is running ok.  Why would you not pay attention to the "gauges" on the dashboard of our government to make sure that everything is operating within the parameters of the design manual?

God is indeed in control. He left us here on earth specifically to "operate" and make a difference in His Kingdom until he returns, so let's keep our eyes on the gauges and our hands on the wheel.

Accurately Placed Respect?

As you can see from the image on the left, the 226 years that have passed since Jacob Shallus put quill to animal skin, has taken its toll on the physical properties of the United States Constitution. But sadly, a heavier and much more dangerous toll has been inflicted upon what is still today our primary governing document. The toll inflicted by ignorance and wickedness among those governed by it, is threatening our Republic unlike no other time in history.

I often get push back from well meaning Christians for not respecting the President. When this happens, it makes me wonder how anyone can honestly pay attention to what the current President is doing, and what he proposes to do, and still honestly tell me they respect him...If you fall into this category...you have a serious problem. I make no secret of the fact that I have no respect whatsoever for the President. However, I have great respect for the office of the President of the United States, which makes it all the more imperative that I call him out for his statements and his actions.

Permit me to explain a little bit more in depth about this. To do that, we have to start with some basic facts about our Constitution. We are a nation of laws…the United States Constitution sets forth the Rule of Law for our nation. It establishes the parameters under which our federal government can operate, no more, no less. By its very nature, the United States Constitution or Federal Constitution as it is sometimes referred to, is a document of limited powers (ceded up by the states in order to create a limited central government) and a list of "enumerated" individual rights to be retained by all the citizenry. The framers of the document set forth the premise in Article VI that the United States Constitution is the Supreme Law of the land. From this fact comes the principle that the United States Constitution is the Rule of Law. Article VI states that there is no higher law, the United States Constitution is supreme to all federal law. Consequently, all federal law enacted must be enacted “pursuant” to the Constitution. This means that federal law cannot contravene (violate) the Constitution. Article VI also states that the United States Constitution is supreme above all state Constitutions and state laws. I mention this to remind us that there is NO law, NO office, and NO individual office holder that is above the United States Constitution. Indeed all Federal Office holders swear an oath to the United States Constitution.

 

Law Above Men

The idea that "we need to respect the President", or any other office holder for that matter, no matter what they say or do...while it may sound moralistic and high minded…reveals very deep ignorance of the United States Constitution and how our government works. Our founders set up a system unlike no other in history...we respect law above men. The founders came from a worldview where subjects were required to respect men (a King) above law (Rex Lex), so they implicitly and intentionally set up a system from a biblical worldview wherein we respect law above men (Lex Rex). The United States Constitution is the highest law of the land, again, that’s why officials take an oath to it. Therefore you are required...and as a Christian...it is your duty to respect the highest man made Law (Constitution) above any man.

The well meaning Christians I mentioned above will frequently quote or mention the thirteenth chapter of the book of Romans for a warning to be "subject to the governing authorities”. The problem here is that the "authority" in the context of Romans 13 is not a man under our system of government...it’s the law. We have rampant ignorance of this simple but profound truth in our country today. If you hold the position that you respect the President of the United States...three things are in play...(1) you are grossly ignorant of current events, (2) you are ignorant of our Constitution and our Republic, and (3) most importantly if you’re a Christian, you are ignorant of your responsibility under God's law.

The larger question that we should be asking ourselves here is why are there so many that think this way today? How did we get to the point where so few understand this very basic information? I am reminded of an event that took place in the heat of June 1788. The place was Richmond, Virginia, the setting…the Virginia Ratification Convention for the new United States Constitution. The elected delegates from all over the commonwealth had assembled to determine whether or not Virginia would ratify the new Federal Constitution. The list of delegates is legendary, men like Patrick Henry, James Madison, John Marshall, George Mason, and James Monroe, I could go on and on…a virtual who’s who of framers and founders. Heated debate was the order of the day. On one hand the Federalists were pushing the new Constitution due to the utter failure of the Articles of Confederation, the fledgling nations first set of bylaws. On the other hand were Anti Federalists, men who feared an all too powerful central government. After much heated debate, which in one instance almost produced a duel…a man little known to us today, a man by the name of George Nicholas rose to his feet to address the raucous assembly.

George Nicholas's comment that sweltering day was simple but contained a profound message that rings powerful 226 years later… a message we need to hear loud and clear today. His statement…“An enlightened people will never suffer what was established for their security to be perverted to an act of tyranny.” Do you see the operative word in Mr. Nicholas’s statement? He said “an enlightened people”. The premise of Mr. Nicholas statement was absolutely correct...that is, if we had an enlightened citizenry. An enlightened citizenry would be needed to safeguard the Constitution against men that would ignore it, or pervert it. Today we have a completely unenlightened citizenry; therefore many of our elected leaders...not only the President...but many in the congress and the judiciary blatantly ignore the Rule of Law in carrying out the duties of their office.  Ultimately we bear the responsibility for permitting them to do this without holding them accountable.  But how can an unenlightened citizenry hold anyone accountable?

My friends, today instead of getting upset or agitated at my position of not respecting the President, or any other elected official for that manner…it’s time to get educated on the truth of the Rule of Law, the truth about what authority we respect above all others in our government, and the truth that we are a nation of “unenlightened” citizens. We need to become an enlightened citizenry with respect to the Rule of Law and how our government is supposed to operate under it. The Constitution of the United States is not difficult to understand. While Constitutional Law can be deep...it is not always deep. One does not have to be a Constitutional attorney in order to understand its principles and to be able to identify when it is being ignored, perverted, and violated.

Honor God for what he has given us...a Rule of Law, higher than men.  No other nation on the face of the earth has this kind of Constitutional government founded and set up under God's principles. Worship Him today by using your time and opportunities to learn it. There are many ways to do this, and I would be glad to point you to my free course online to help facilitate your "enlightenment" today.

Making The Connection

I was honored beyond measure today. I had been invited as the guest speaker at the monthly meeting / luncheon for the Exchange Club of Charleston. This is the civic organization that puts on the Coastal Carolina Fair every year and uses the proceeds to support local charities. Let me clarify, I was honored not because they asked me to speak on the United States Constitution and the Rule of Law, I was honored because I got to sit next to a legend at the head table.

Seated next to me today was a 93 year old gentleman that was being honored by the Exchange Club for his service to our nation.  Bernard Warshaw was born in 1920 and served under General George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge from December 1944 – January 1945.  This man captured my attention as soon as I shook his hand and began to get acquainted with him. Being a lover of history, I began to pick his brain for his memories as we ate lunch together, he told me that he had arrived at the Dachau concentration camp in southern Bavaria on April 30^th, 1945. He arrived at Dachau just 8 hours after it had been liberated from the Nazi’s, the same day that Adolf Hitler committed suicide.  On the table between us, he had a folio of photographs that he had personally taken himself that day. He asked me to look at the tattered, yellowed photographs that depicted the grisly scene that greeted this young 23 year old American soldier.  It was hard for me to believe that I was looking at the actual photographs that he took that day 68 years ago as these were not some random photographs from a museum. I realized I was sitting next to a legend and I told him so. He shrugged that off.  These photographs showed piles of emaciated bodies of Jews that had been killed and thrown into heaps to be burned in the ovens. I asked Mr. Warshaw "had he been able to ever get these images out of his head and mind", to which he quickly answered me “no, they never go away”.  He then directed my attention to one photo in particular, a young girl (probably not more than 6 or 7 years of age) at the edge of one of the heaps of bodies, and he said “I remember her like it was yesterday”.

I sat there speechless, knowing that in just a few minutes I would be speaking to this large group of people about our Constitution and the Rule of Law. I had went there to be their speaker, and I was humbled beyond measure to have the privilege to sit next to this legend that saw the horrors of humanity with his own eyes. It suddenly struck me as I pondered the connection, the connection between my speaking about the Rule of Law and following the document that was meant to give us order and liberty.  I pondered that God had directed my steps today.  You see, I had been invited by a pastor friend to attend another important event today, and I chose to honor my commitment to speak to this group. God had ordered my steps to meet this man in order to make the connection between what this man had seen with his own eyes, and my talking about men being governed by a Rule of Law that transcends them.

 

I looked over these pictures that depicted the horrors and atrocities that men can perpetrate upon other men when left unchecked, and bereft of a Rule of Law that transcends them.  I pondered the fact that Germans sat idly by as their nation was used for unspeakable horrors and that the German church for the most part sat silent and did not push back as tyranny arose among them. They just wanted to be left alone. I pondered the fact that many of my brothers and sisters in Christ today do not want to push back against a building soft tyranny. I pondered the facts that I know from my study of history, that tyranny will NOT leave you alone, it is insatiable and it will advance upon you if left unchecked. God used this day to reinvigorate me to make the connection and reject the voices that call for surrender, to reject the misguide voices that tell us to quit making so much "noise" and simply "get along". I refuse to do that.

I am grateful and blessed to have met Mr. Bernard Warshaw today. Perhaps the look on my face shows it all after having looked at his photograph album that you see in my hand. I've seen images from the Holocaust before, but this was the first time I have been face to face with an eyewitness to those horrors. The images had stirred me and taken my breath away. This picture was taken right after I had closed his photo album...and I was coming up for air.

 

 

 

 

 

No Opt Out

“I personally will fight forever, whatever it takes, however long it takes, to prevent my children and your children, and our posterity, from taking those steps into darkness. We will persevere. We will get an Article V convention, and we will restrain the federal government.” -Mark Meckler

I get asked all the time why I expend so much effort and energy in this area...friends, I believe that as a Christian, I have no choice to "opt out".  Doesn't matter if some think it’s futile...the Christian does not have a "get out of engaging" card.

I guess in a sense I am captive to my study of American History.  On November 11th, 1620, a small group of "Separatists" from England penned these words into the Mayflower compact: "Having undertaken for the Glory of God and Advancement of the Christian Faith".

Those words in my opinion set off a "chain of human events" that birthed a nation founded in liberty for the express purpose of the Gospel Dispensation.

Listen to these words by John Quincy Adams on the 4th of July, 1837: "Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon the earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies, announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?"

Christian brothers and sisters...realize what God has given to you for a purpose...your liberty! I don't fight so hard and give up so much effort simply because I want to be political...I do it because God has ordained these principles of Self Government here in our nation for a purpose...to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Get up and get engaged in some way to return our nation to its foundations for the glory of Almighty God!

Rights vs. Theft

I have been musing on comments made this week by the President of the United States (POTUS). His comments should have elicited a response from any Christian that claims to operate from a Biblical Worldview. 

Permit me to explain. A few days ago while giving a speech; the POTUS stated that Healthcare is a Right. Any thinking person, but more importantly every Christian should have taken pause when they heard that. This statement begs the question; exactly what is "healthcare"? Healthcare isn't some nebulous thing that you cannot put your finger on, Healthcare in its basic form is a service provided by someone, or it’s a product (drugs, medicine, equipment, etc...). Because Healthcare is a service or a product, even more basic than that is the fact that it really is someone's property. Our family Doctor provides a service by offering up her intellectual property and her real property that she owns or leases. That property whether real or intellectual is her property, it's not my property, and it belongs to her.

 

Do you smell what I'm stepping in here? Where does it follow that you or I, or anyone else for that matter has a "right" to someone else's property?  I can purchase that property, or I can buy insurance to help me pay for that property, I can even ask someone to lend me some of their property, if they so desire to do so, but how does it follow that you or I, or anyone else has a "right" to take their property. Or how do I have the right to request that my government take it from someone else by brute force and hand it over to me?

The Bible tells us that we are not permitted to steal property from someone else (see 10 Commandments).  The Christian who is thinking from a Christian Worldview needs to reject the godless liberal / socialistic idea that you have some "right" to someone else's property just because a President or some well meaning soul says so.

Christians who pay no attention to everyday events and statements like this from elected officials, in this case the President of The United States, are missing their command to Go therefore and make disciples of Christians (Matt 28:19-20). I’m sure you’re wondering where I’m coming from with that. Let me explain, if we don't know the Biblical principle/positions on issues that pertain to everyday life, how on earth do we make Disciples of Christ and teach them to obey His commands? In this case, the Biblical principle is crystal clear, we have a command against theft, to NOT STEAL ANOTHERS PERONS PROPERTY, and by extension, we ought not cast a vote for anyone that would represent us and permit our government to do so.

The Founders of our great nation placed protection of natural God given rights into the Declaration of Independence as the apex function of our government. We don't get to make up new "rights" at our own whim that violate God given laws.

The 227 Year Old Message From Col. George Mason

Permit me to share a very Important Constitutional history lesson with you. The delegates to the Philadelphia Convention (today referred to as the Constitutional Convention) had been going over every section of every article in the final months of the Convention in 1787. 227 years ago, on a Saturday, just two days before the Convention in Philadelphia completed its work, we find a gem in the notes of James Madison, who took extensive notes just about every day of the convention. This item that I refer to as a “gem” is little known and hardly talked about today. On September 15, 1787, George Mason of Virginia (referred to in Madison’s notes as Col Mason), was alarmed that in the text of Article V (the provision for making Amendments to the Constitution), Congress would have sole power to propose amendments; Mason insisted, as he did earlier in June, that the states have authority to call for conventions. Mason explained that an oppressive Congress would never agree to propose amendments necessary to restrain a rogue, tyrannical legislature. “Col: MASON thought the plan of amending the Constitution exceptionable & dangerous. As the proposing of amendments is in both the modes to depend, in the first immediately, in the second, ultimately, on Congress, no amendments of the proper kind would ever be obtained by the people, if the Government should become oppressive, as he verily believed would be the case.” (See Madison’s notes 15 Sep 1787).

To make sense of that, you must understand that earlier in the summer when the issue of even having an Amendment process was first brought up as a provision in the Constitution, many of the delegates thought it unnecessary. Madison’s notes record the following on June 11^th: “Col. MASON urged the necessity of such a provision [Amendments]. The plan now to be formed will certainly be defective, as the Confederation has been found on trial to be. Amendments therefore will be necessary, and it will be better to provide for them, in an easy, regular and Constitutional way than to trust to chance and violence. It would be improper to require the consent of the Natl. Legislature, because they may abuse their power, and refuse their consent on that very account…”.

By the time the convention reached its final days in mid September, the Amendment provision had been added as Article V, and the provision had two methods; the national legislature (Congress) could propose Amendments and Congress could call for a Convention of States for the purpose of proposing amendments. However, both methods were left in the hands (power) of the national legislature, that’s what Mason meant when he referred in the first quote above as “both the modes to depend, in the first immediately, in the second, ultimately, on Congress”. Mason had objected to this back in June and now as the convention drew to a close, he rose to his feet to forcefully object with his reasons stated above (“It would be improper to require the consent of the Natl. Legislature, because they may abuse their power, and refuse their consent on that very account”). Madison’s notes of 15 Sept tell us that Mason’s motion was accepted and the language was changed in order to require [mandate] Congress to call a convention upon application of 2/3 of the states.

It is noteworthy to point out that this process does not call for a Constitutional Convention; the language specifies calling a convention for the purpose of “proposing amendments”…to the existing Constitution…it would still require 3/4ths of the states (38) to ratify any amendment proposed in this convention.

We owe George Mason and the other framers a huge debt for this...they had the foresight to understand first of all, that we needed an orderly process in which to amend our Constitution (“regular and Constitutional way than to trust to chance and violence” – Mason 11 June). Secondly we owe them a huge debt for recognizing and understanding the depravity of man and the extremely intoxicating effects of years of power in the hands of the same people (hence a need for term limits) and that these power intoxicated occupants of the United States Congress would “abuse their power, and refuse their consent” (Mason 11 June) to any amendments that would “injure” themselves and return powers never intended for the national legislature or any of the other branches for that matter, they would never take steps to return that power on their own to the rightful owner, the states/people (“no amendments of the proper kind would ever be obtained by the people, if the Government should become oppressive” – Mason 15 Sep).

The least we can do as citizens of this great nation today, citizens that do not seem to want to be bothered with taking the time to understand the underpinnings of their liberty, the least we can do is take the time to understand what the framers of this amazing document did for us. When the framers agreed on September 15^th, 1787 to change the text in Article V, they in effect were telegraphing a message to us in 2014, a message to us showing us the way back inside the fence of the Constitution, a way back to what Thomas Jefferson called the “chains of the Constitution”.

What Can You Do?

Post Campaign Thoughts - Part II

Continued from Part I:

From the outset, Curtis would tell me that our prayer needed to be that God would breathe life into what we were doing, that we would stay behind Him and let Him either give life to what we were doing and find favor with it, or we would know that it was not meant to be. In earlier blogs I described to you instances that reveal the true godly character of Curtis, one titled “Observations Worth Considering” and another entitled “Conjecture Or The Rule of Law”. I encourage you to take the time to read those, not so you can find out more about Curtis, but rather so you can see what kind of traits you should look for in a candidate.

When it became clear to the other candidates that the Bostic campaign was beginning to surge, things began to happen that one should I guess expect in a political campaign but nevertheless became a real eye opener for me. We began to take fire, lots of fire. Polling told us we were climbing through the ranks, but the heat from the other top tier candidates was an even greater indicator. I have always considered facts and truth to be fair game to use against another candidate. But probably the most difficult thing for me was to watch flat out lies and mischaracterizations being hurled at my friend. What was even harder to take was the source of most of it, definitely not where I expected it to be coming from. Politics and the quest for power can bring out the worst in individuals and I got to see it firsthand. Conversely, from our side we did everything we could to just run on our record and let the chips fall where they may. It is difficult to do that when the record is continually distorted and you don’t have the means to use media to combat it the way that the other larger political machines could do.

At the outset of our campaign, we were given little to no chance of making much of an impact. I learned a tremendous amount about running a campaign for elected office. Candidates that I thought were men of integrity at the outset, severely let me down with their action when they came under pressure or perceived that they saw the election slipping away from them.

As for me, I have given the last 15 years of so of my life pouring my time and passion into teaching and mentoring high school kids about the United States Constitution and limited government from a biblical worldview. In the last few years I have developed courses and seminars to be taught in churches or other local activist groups so that adults that have never been taught these “1^st Principles” of the founders can be equipped to elect good, constitutional, limited government candidates and so they can have the knowledge and understanding to hold them accountable once they are in office.

I knew what Curtis stood for and I knew that we shared the same heartbeat for bringing our nation back to the Rule of Law. I stood shoulder to shoulder with a man of enormous integrity in the face of withering personal attack. The undertone in a lot of this attack was nothing more than anti-religious bigotry, although those that perpetrated it would probably never admit it. It’s almost as if today, we see so little of what people like Curtis Bostic represent, we see so very little of it, that when it shows up, people feel like it’s just too good to be true and have to tear it down.

I’m disappointed that we lost an opportunity to elect someone with what I consider to be the most important qualities necessary for federal elected office; strong biblical worldview, mastery of the United States Constitution, and the rock solid integrity to execute the office that would be entrusted to him. Before we wrapped things up at the campaign office  this past Tuesday night, Curtis asked me if I would do it all over again. Without hesitation, I told him that I would. Our Constitution, our nation, and our hard fought liberties are worth our time, efforts, resources, and toil.

There are a few people you meet in life that you know you could charge the gates of hell with using a water pistol; Curtis Bostic is one of them. It was an honor to team with Curtis in this campaign. In my opinion, for whatever its worth, he might have been one of the best candidates for federal office I have seen in my lifetime. If I have one regret it would be that I was unable to convince more people of that fact.

Post Campaign Thoughts - Part I

It was a little over three months ago that I determined that it was not the right time for me to run for Congress and that I would, at the request of my friend Curtis Bostic, team with him to help him become the next United States Congressman from the 1^st Congressional District of South Carolina, the seat previously held by our mutual friend, now Senator Tim Scott.

You can read all about the events leading up to that day by reading my previous blogs in recent weeks. What I want to do here is paint somewhat of a picture of what has happened since then.  When Curtis and I determined to team up for this run, we had been friends for about six or seven years. Over the last three months, through the good pleasure of our great God, a deeper friendship has been forged in the trenches of an extremely fast paced political campaign that was sometimes exhausting, but more oftentimes a blessed experience. From the first meeting we had together, Curtis made it very clear that he wanted a true teammate, the joining of our skills, our expertise, our love for Christ, our desire to return our nation to the Rule of Law under the United States Constitution, and our like-mindedness of vision for what the founders intended for a member of the “People’s House”. It was absolutely amazing to watch God work out his ways in the building of a true grassroots effort of the people, people with the same vision.

People from literally all over the district came to join this effort, people we had never met before that saw what I saw, the opportunity to put up a superb “peoples” candidate. From Charleston to Beaufort, people were energized for the opportunity to help elect Curtis Bostic. Over 50 local pastors from all over the district were bold enough to openly individually endorse Curtis Bostic. Think about that, think about what it means about a candidates integrity and reputation when that many pastors are willing to place their reputations on the line to make a statement about a candidate for political office.

Early on, we knew that we needed to develop a true grassroots effort. In a field of 16, our strategy quickly became clear; we needed to get in front of people, lots of people. With that in mind we devised a strategy to get into people’s homes, living rooms, and community centers. We attended as many of the forums as we could, but frankly…we quickly realized that those were nice, but most of the time the same people showed up…and it was very obvious most already had their minds made up. On advice from our mutual friend, a certain United States Senator, we made a tactical decision to forego a few of the smaller events and focus on getting into homes and in front of everyday people. In essence, bypass the political machinery, and take our message straight to the voters and everyday folks. That is, “grassroots” grassroots if you will. Scores of awesome volunteers opened their homes and invited hundreds of friends, neighbors, and family members to come out and meet the candidate. We published these events on our facebook page and on our webiste. Some groups were small, some were large, but we did this almost every night of the week for three months, and we did it as a team. Curtis would explain his positions and answer questions and with my passion for Biblical Worldview and the United States Constitution, I would talk to the people about the unique qualification of this candidate. People got to meet the candidate in person and get their own questions answered without having to depend on a moderator asking their question. We were criticized heavily for this, some of the other candidates that realized what was happening, began to grumble about us and then started to float the idea that “Bostic is avoiding the forums and avoiding answering questions”. The funny thing is that the exact opposite was true; because of the dozens and dozens of drop-ins and meet and greets, no candidate was more accessible to the masses and answered more direct questions from voters than Curtis Bostic. Anyone and everyone that wanted to find out about Curtis positions were able to find an event to attend to meet the candidate and ask him their own questions.

In a campaign with an unprecedented 16 candidates, it was certain from the outset that there would be no clear winner with over 50% vote in the primary, so everyone knew there would be a runoff.  The polling suggested that Gov Sanford would be a lock for the 1^st position, the same polling however showed him vulnerable in a runoff. The Bostic campaign was written off very early and given little chance to make the 2^nd position, in fact most political pundits cast us as a 2^nd and in some cases a 3rd tier candidate. Therefore, we considered if we could find a way to get a 2^nd place finish, it would be a huge win for us and we felt confident that we had a good shot of beating Gov Sanford in the runoff.

To be continued in Part II....

Election Day Thoughts

Just over three months ago, on a Saturday morning, the Saturday before Christmas to be exact, I saw a notification come up on facebook announcing that Curtis Bostic was considering a run for Congress in the recently vacated seat for the 1^st Congressional District. It caught my attention for two reasons, first, I had already announced to many of my circle of friends that I was considering running for this seat, and secondly, Curtis Bostic is a friend of mine who holds what I would consider to be the three very most important qualifications for holding federal office. Without hesitation or thinking, I reached for my phone and dialed his number. Curtis picked up the phone on the other end and after exchanging greetings, I asked him if he was serious about running for this seat. I explained to him that I had also been contemplating a run for this seat. We talked that day about both of us running and committed to begin to pray for each other. He and I discussed the possibilities of both of us running…incredible if you stop and think about it…two potential candidates speaking openly about their strategies…but that’s the level of trust we have come to have in each other. For the next three weeks we discussed this many times and continued to pray for each other, truly for a decision that it would be led by the Lord. That was the desire of both our hearts.

After much prayer, thinking, and seeking some very wise counsel, Patti and I came to the conclusion that God was making it clear to us that the timing was not right for me to run in this election. I had known Curtis for about six years; and have known him to be a Godly and wise man with an incredible heart for serving God. When Curtis told me that he was considering this race, I immediately knew that if I determined not to run, he was the ONLY person that I could energetically and enthusiastically support. Those of you that know me know that I have been speaking out very forcefully about the need to make sure we DO NOT elect anyone to federal office that does not have the basic requirements. I have made the case to you that these requirements include what I refer to as a command understanding of the United States Constitution, the framers intent of Limited Government, and the Christian Worldview that is needed to put it all together for service under the Rule of Law. I want you to know that I have spent many hours with Curtis discussing the things that you know are VERY important to me. What I say next I don’t say lightly. Not only is Curtis Bostic the best candidate in this field for this Congressional seat, he is the ONLY candidate in this field that has the entire package of what I have been talking about and teaching about what we need in candidates for federal office.

But I want you to know more about this man and this campaign that I have poured my life (time), fortune (money), and sacred honor (my name) into for over three months now with almost every waking hour of my day beyond my own fulltime job. Many of you don’t know this, but after Patti and I made our decision not to run, Curtis and I met to chart a course forward as a team. It was during that meeting that God solidified the conclusion that Patti and I had made not to run. I sat in Curtis’s office one Saturday morning and my good friend Curtis told me that if I determined to move forward with a campaign, that he would not run. Not only would he not run, he told me that he would “stroke me the first check” for a campaign donation. I was floored. The humility of my friend astounded me. I left there that day and went home still humbled by my friends offer. Later in the afternoon, Curtis called me back up and told me that he wanted to reiterate to me that those were not just words, he told me again that he meant what he said, that if I determined to run, he would not run against me and that he would be the first to offer financial support. It was at that point that God clearly spoke to me. I could take him up on his offer, take his support, and at the end of the race, I could “feel” good about running in a United States congressional campaign, and I would have effectively removed from the running what I have concluded might be the best candidate for federal elected office that I have ever come across.  As stated above, I have been teaching and speaking about what we need as the “right” kind of candidate for a VERY LONG time, so for me to say that someone might be the “best candidate I have seen” is a VERY, VERY strong thing for me to say.

Let me conclude by saying that, during these three months, my conviction about Curtis being the best candidate has been absolutely confirmed. From the time the first distortions, disparaging attacks, and outright lies about my friend began to be aired I have seen my friend again and again, stop and remind me that we would not “return fire”.  We had determined from the outset that we would run this campaign on Curtis record, on his name and integrity and let the chips fall where they may. There have been times where we were on the road campaigning, and we would stop to pray and I have heard my friend praying for his opponents. When the attacks ramped up, we would have been well justified to set the record straight and expose the perpetrator. We both knew that we would have been entirely justified in doing so. Curtis would tell me “Bob, we can’t do that and keep a clean heart before God”. He simply felt that even though we would be justified in exposing the truth, he was concerned about what would be “in our hearts” when we did it.

I could go on and on with event after event where I have witnessed firsthand the character and integrity of my friend Curtis Bostic, but I will leave it at that. Curtis would be the first one to tell you that he is only a man, a fallen man, and no different from the rest of us. But friends, character matters, integrity matters, and when the pressures come from those that would disregard and hold our United States Constitution in contempt; I want this man representing me as our United States Congressman.

Whatever happens at the end of the day, we will hold our heads high tomorrow and give praise to almighty God for his marvelous works. To Him be the Glory!

Living Life Upside Down

"A sample of Mars drilled from a rock by NASA's Curiosity rover and then studied by onboard instruments "shows ancient Mars could have supported living microbes," NASA officials announced Tuesday in a statement and press conference."

Ok, so let me get this straight, so we're supposed to get excited about the remote possibility that maybe...somehow....some kinda way...there "might have been" a microbe on a planet that is 33.9 million miles away from us. But at the same time, we have fully formed little children, that just happen to be growing in the womb....separated from us by just a few centimeters of flesh and we not only dont get excited about them...we celebrate the butchery of them....and call it "personal choice".

Tell me we are not living life upside down.

http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/03/12/mars-could-have-supported-life-nasa-says/

Conjecture or The Rule of Law?

Periodically I have taken the time after one of our Bostic for Congress campaign events to write a little about what I observed to kind of give you an idea of why I am working with Curtis. Last evening at one of our drop in events I observed a perfect example of why Curtis Bostic is the best candidate by far for us to elect as our next Congressman to represent the 1st Congressional District of South Carolina. An individual asked Curtis a question about his views on gun control.  This is where there is CRYSTAL CLEAR separation between Curtis Bostic and ALL the other candidates in this Special Election.  I'm not necessisarily  referring to his pro 2nd Amendment position, becuase most of the candidates are or at least purport to be pro 2^nd Amendment. Coincidentally, I might add...it's rather silly for us to even say someone is "pro 2nd Amendment" because it really doesn’t matter if someone is “pro 2^nd Amendment” or not.  The 2nd Amendment is part of our nations Rule of Law.  The United States Constitution (which includes all 27 Amendments) is not supposed to be subject to the whims of men.  The reason I stated above that this is where we find CRYSTAL CLEAR separation between Curtis and the other candidates has more to do with his understanding and ability to accurately articulate the principles behind this liberty to those that do not have understanding in this area or any other constitutional area for that matter. This issue really goes to the core of our campaign and what we believe.

Curtis answered this individuals question by explaining that he would probably lose their vote once they heard his answer, but that he was going to tell her the truth of his position. Folks, I’ve been out on these events almost every night for the last two and a half months and I have seen the other candidates in action. Many will tailor their answers to questions like this to whichever audience they are talking to….the clear mark of a politician.  This individual tonight wanted to know what Curtis’s “thoughts” were pertaining to banning certain firearms and certain types of firearm magazines in response to recent events. I put the word “thoughts” in quotations for a reason. I want you to see something that I notice very often on the campaign trail and at candidate events and what I hear from the other candidates.  People want to know what they “think” of this issue or what they “think” of that issue.  Now, I’m not implying that there is not a place for having thoughtful positions on important issues.  We need to have well thought out positions on the issues.  However, when the issue in question is an issue that is already settled in the Rule of Law (Constitution), then it’s really not up for debate or conjecture what anyone’s “thoughts” are on that issue. The only way we can have a discussion about our “thoughts” on an issue that is already enumerated in the Constitution is if we are having a discussion about changing something through the deliberative process outlined in the Article V process for amendments.

I listened tonight as Curtis explained all of this to this individual and explained that as a United States Congressman, his oath and therefore his responsibility would be to uphold the Rule of Law. This fact is either completely lost on most in office today or they simply have no regard for that fact.  In this field of 16 candidates I have heard all of these candidates many times over…and none of these candidates has this grasp of the principles of liberty like Curtis does. Indeed, I can honestly say that few have any grasp of this at all because I have heard them explain their positions and in most cases those positions are more in tune with their “thoughts”, “ideas”, and conjecture more than they are with the principles and enumerated powers outlined in the federal Constitution.

Friends, first principles, the principles of Liberty and the United States Constitution are in my "wheelhouse", this is my expertise...so I know it when I see it.  This is why I am teamed with Curtis Bostic...not simply because he is my good friend, indeed there is another candidate in this race that is a friend of mine. I'm teamed with Curtis because I am convinced that he is exactly the type of candidate that we MUST elect if we want any chance at pushing this government back inside its constitutional fence. We have a rare candidate for this Congressional seat in the 1^st District of South Carolina right now, men like Curtis Bostic that have a grasp of these first principles and mastery of our Constitution coupled with rock solid integrity are very hard to find these days.  The ability to articulate these principles is crucial for a congressman in order to be able to explain it to his colleagues in the United States Congress as well as the citizens of the 1^st District.

Let’s get it right on March 19^th, vote for Curtis Bostic to be the next Congressman from the 1^st Congressional District of South Carolina.

Observations Worth Considering

Ok, going to write something here that will risk some folks taking it the wrong way, but I believe in giving Glory to God in all things so I will share this little anecdote with you. Most of you that read my stuff on facebook and my blog know that I am teamed with my friend Curtis Bostic to help get him elected to Congress. For those of you that may not know Curtis well, but wonder why I am working so hard for him, permit me to share.  I have already told you about the fact that this guy has great integrity, he has great command of the Biblical Worldview, and he has great command of the United States Constitution. What you may not know about him is his walk with Christ.  If you’re not interested in that, stop reading now. But if you are, let me share with you what I observed recently up close.

Curtis and I were in another city nearby for a campaign visit where we would be meeting with a large group of folks and where Curtis would get a chance to share his testimony and a little about himself. We stopped in abandoned parking lot so that we could pray and ask God to go before us, and to ask him what we always ask him, to breathe life into our efforts and to help us to be thankful no matter how things turn out in the end. So we pull over and begin to pray, and my friend starts praying for the other candidates that we are running against. That God would bless them. Then we get this opportunity for him to speak about his testimony and about himself and about our campaign for Congress. He had a limited amount of time with these folks. He shares how he came to Christ and then spends the rest of the time sharing the life giving message of salvation with these guys.  He knew that he was eating up the time he had allotted and would not be able to talk about the congressional campaign but he spent all of his time telling that group about how they can have a relationship with Christ. He simply told me afterward that he sensed that there were folks in the room that did not know Christ and that he had to tell them and that was more important than our campaign. I’m telling you all of that because otherwise you would never hear about it. Just he and I praying, and he getting his opportunity to speak about the campaign. And he will never tell you he did that.

Friends, Curtis Bostic is the kind of guy that will obey his oath…that’s why I share this with you. Those of you who know me, YOU know how SICK and TIRED I am of sending representatives to Washington D.C. that place their left hand on a bible, then raise their right hand and take an oath to submit to the highest law of our nation, the United States Constitution. Then they summarily dismiss or ignore that oath.

Christian brothers and sisters, I will make no bones about it, we have a unique opportunity to elect a guy that “gets it” on the Biblical Worldview, he “gets it” on the United States Constitution and the Rule of Law, and friends…this guy “gets it” on his priorities and allegiance. Don’t fall for the idea that someone has to have some specific prior “experience” with the system or politics, have we not had ENOUGH of that to make us want to puke already??

Let’s “get it” right and not miss this opportunity to vote for a candidate that has the right qualifications.