Symposium: Preparing and Passing Constitutional Legislation
The Citizens Constitutional Caucus is planning a day-long symposium to discuss “Preparing and Passing Constitutional Legislation in a Broken System.” Richard Fry, a nationally-recognized Constitutional expert, will conduct the session.
The symposium will be June 28 at the Hampton Inn, (I-40 Exit 290) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a break for lunch. Cost is $15 prepaid, $20 at the door. There will also be a town hall discussion from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Preparing and Passing Constitutional Legislation in a Broken System
by Richard Fry
General Counsel, Patriot Coalition
What we citizens are experiencing with our political systems in America is what I call a representative disconnect. The majority of our “public servants” either do not understand or do not care that after supporting and defending the Constitution (securing our fundamental rights) their job is to do what the majority of citizens want (not what they think is best for us) within the bounds of the Constitution.
Currently, and frankly for some time now, a majority of our “elected officials” have not served our interests but the interests of special interest groups including the major political parties themselves. The parties are more concerned about staying in power than our wishes or the Constitution (or even winning elections), hence the GOP leadership’s effort to support open borders in hopes of garnering more special interest support. Our public servants do not listen to us but to groups such as the Chamber of Commerce who is openly supporting amnesty for illegal aliens, open borders and Sustainable Development.
Our public servants are fiduciaries. That means they owe us the highest level of fidelity. They have a duty of transparency and disclosure and we have the duty of accountability i.e., to hold our public servants accountable.
In some circumstance they have an affirmative duty to disclose information to us and they are never to conceal or otherwise hamper our ability to know what they are doing. This should be non-negotiable. Unless they are transparent in their actions we cannot fulfill our duty to hold them accountable and the whole system crumbles.
If there is a system or procedure which conceals the action of our “public servants” they must inform us of such and work to change that procedure. And, we have a duty to try to root such out.
The failure to record votes especially terminal votes (those that effectively end or “kill” a bill) should be recorded so all know who was responsible for the bills demise. Likewise, if there are votes that relate to whether a vote should be recorded that vote needs to be recorded so we can judge whether such procedure was used for the sake of efficiency or has the effect of concealment.
Hidden within the House and Senate rules, especially those related to committee actions, there are rules that serve no real purpose but to obscure the actions of our elected officials. These must be identified and stricken. Although some will defend these rules as necessarily for the sake of efficiency, trading transparency for the sake of efficiency is no trade off at all, but is a short road to disaster and despotism.
Remember this regarding transparency and all issues with which you deal with your legislators: You are the boss and you are paying the freight. If you want more transparency at the cost of efficiency that is your right; their only question should be how quickly they can get it done.
On matters of principle do what is right and then stand in faith knowing God is the ultimate Chairman of the Board. Don’t back down. Don’t compromise. Don’t stop fighting for the Republic.
http://www.patriotcoalition.com/