Primaries Are Key
by Christian Gomez, Research Project Manager
In a letter addressed to John Trumbull dated June 25, 1799, former President George Washington, who was then serving as Senior Officer of the Army (the highest rank in the U.S. Army at the time), wrote, “… make them believe, that offensive operations, often times, is the surest, if not the only (in some cases) means of defense.” Washington recognized that the best defense is a good offense. Likewise, we will not win the battle to safeguard the Constitution and keep our Republic by merely playing catch-up with the other side and trying to stop each new resolution applying to Congress to call for a constitutional convention (Con-Con).
If that is all we’re doing, eventually their forces will rupture through the wall and succeed. This is why we must hit them hard where it will do the most damage to their subversive cause. Hence the need for a dual-prong strategy. First, we need to educate voters to convince their state legislators to introduce rescission resolutions and nullification bills. Second, we need to educate every single candidate in the primaries for state legislatures (regardless of whether he or she is your preferred candidate) about the dangers of a Con-Con and get them to commit to opposing any new Con-Con resolutions, introducing/supporting the passage of a Con-Con rescission resolution, and introducing/supporting the passage of legislation to nullify unconstitutional federal actions under Article VI of the Constitution.
For anyone unfamiliar with a rescission resolution, it’s a resolution that would rescind (i.e., repeal, retract, or revoke) a state’s previously passed and currently outstanding (or “live”) applications to Congress for an Article V convention. Examples of various model Con-Con rescission resolutions can be found as downloadable PDFs on the JBS “Con-Con Action Tools” page at https://gojt.us/3vo4, while various model nullification bills can be found on the JBS “VI Not V: Action Tools” page at https://gojt.us/kf11.
Your priority focus should be on educating and influencing those running for state legislature, such as state senator, representative, delegate, and/or assemblyman/assemblywoman.
The first key prong focuses on the legislators currently in office, and the second focuses on every candidate in the primaries running for state legislature. Both actions rely on educating the electorate, and that’s where we come marching in, ready and equipped with an arsenal of educational tools, including our various reprints, pamphlets, booklets, online videos, DVDs, and webinars.
Mark Meckler, the president of Convention of States Action, has insulted Republican legislators who vote against or table (i.e., kill) his cookie-cutter convention resolution, calling them “cowards,” and has threatened to go after them in the primaries with pro-COS challengers. Therefore, it is absolutely critical to focus on the primaries, educating candidates at every opportunity — such as at campaign events, local conservative/Tea Party meetings, candidate forums, and debates — about the dangers of a Con-Con and the benefits of nullification. Press them to commit to both opposing and rescinding any and all Con-Con applications, and to supporting strong nullification bills.
The point is to educate those who ultimately win the primaries (and the general election) and develop them as key allies to preserve our Republic by safeguarding the Constitution. Your favorite candidate may not always win, but whoever does win will never be a defender of the Constitution and champion of liberty without you educating them.
Patriots ought not to start defending the Constitution at the start of the legislative session, which for most states is in January. The battle begins long before that, at the primary level.