Category Archives: Uncategorized

The Vote, Uncategorized, General, Education, Commentary, Public Policy Principles News

American Majority–Training for Solutions

This entry is part 1 of 7 in the series American Majority Training

constitutionI am going to be blogging live today from the American Majority Candidate and Activist training class, being held on the campus of Otterbein College.  The morning has started well, as the staff of AM provided coffee and pastries for such an early starting event!  They also are providing professional-quality training materials, and I was impressed to see that the training booklets are specific to the state of Ohio’s elections laws, not just a generic template booklet.

About 25 people are already here, with an anticipated attendance of 40+.  I already recognize a number of people, including former legislators and community activists, along with folks who may never have before been engaged in the civic arena except for dutifully marching to the polls in general (and maybe primary) elections.  The current political and policy climate, along with the energizing effects of tea parties, 912 movements and the like, have indeed “brought people out of the woodwork.”

Their brochure outlines the “Problem”:  “In recent months, how often have you asked yourself, ‘What happened to the conservative movement?  Why isn’t America reflecting the basic principles on which she was founded?’  Government is too big, too bureaucratic, spends too much money, and doesn’t spend it wisely.  Few of our elected officials, regardless of party, are doing anything to change it.  In fact, through earmarks and increased regulation, they are only making the problem worse.  We need citizens engaged and candidates worth voting for…”

The training being offered today is to bring one solution to the above-stated problem.  I will be sitting in on the “candidate” track, as the activist track is well documented in the training manual for that track, and I will be discussing that track later.  The opening session, for both tracks, is “Building Effective Coalitions.”   As the opening session starts, there are about 50 people now present.  Looks like a great turnout and a hopeful glimpse of the future.

Uncategorized, General, Public Policy Radar, Commentary, The Vote

Federal judge temporarily halts Ohio’s version of “Millionaire’s Amendment”

blind-justiceToday, United States District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) against Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s office, as a result of a complaint filed against the Secretary and the Ohio Elections Commission by Republican Secretary of State candidate Sandra O’Brien.  The complaint challenges the constitutionality of Ohio Revised Code section 3517.103, the “personal funds expenditure” section of Ohio’s election laws.

O’Brien’s complaint asserts that her rights of freedom of speech and of association under the 1st and 14th Amendments are violated by the enforcement of this provision of Ohio law.   The TRO was granted, prohibiting Brunner from accepting a “Declaration of No Limits” (Ohio Revised Code 3517.102) from O’Brien’s Republican primary opponent, Senator Jon Husted.

O’Brien puts her opposition to the issue in this way:  “The Ohio Secretary of State and the Ohio Elections Commission must take into consideration that they are out of step with the prevailing precedent from our highest court; and Ohio’s election law in this instance must be challenged.”  O’Brien refers to the 2008 US Supreme Court decision in Davis v. FEC, which overturned the so-called “Millionaire’s Amendment” to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law, that set up a similar, but less restrictive provision in federal law regarding the use of personal funds in a contested race.

O’Brien is represented by attorney David Langdon, who stated “This law sets up a scheme of discriminatory contribution limits, keeping a candidate or their families from being able to support their relative, while allowing the opponent in the race unlimited access to special interest contributions as a “solution” to a dubious ‘problem'”.

Judge Sargus has directed the state to respond by noon on Friday, August 21st.  The case is O’Brien v. Brunner, number 09-cv-733.

Here are copies of the complaint and temporary restraining order.

Uncategorized, General, Education, Private Property, Commentary, Economics

10th Annual Freedom21 Conference–wrap up

This entry is part 28 of 28 in the series Freedom 21 Conference

f21-banner-4After three days of continuous blogging on this conference, we are exhausted physically, but reinvorgated in spirit.  Hundreds of people over the three days of the conference were given pertinent information, challenged and encouraged to expend the effort necessary to protect our foundational liberties and our unalienable rights.

We know that we have not come close to doing justice to the breadth and depth of information presented, so we would urge you, if you have found our analysis interesting, to go to the Freedom21 site and order a set of the DVD’s of the conference.  Use them to educate yourself and your family and friends, and then engage for freedom in your local communities!

Private Property, Commentary, Economics, Uncategorized, General, Education

How coordination is protecting people locally

This entry is part 26 of 28 in the series Freedom 21 Conference

f21-banner-4Dan Byfield, of the group American Stewards of Liberty, explained to the assembled conferees how the coordination of local commissions by liberty activists have helped to put a roadblock in the way of a massive transnational project called the Trans-Texas Corridor project.  The corridor is an internationally funded toll road designed to connect Mexico to Canada that will take 146 acres per mile of private property from Texas citizens.

Byfield discussed the important concept of coordination, which is local governments (counties, cities, school districts, water districts, etc) utilizing existing laws that require the federal and state agencies to work with them on a government-to-government basis.

He referenced a number of federal statutes which have requirement for the federal agencies to coordinate with local levels of government, by notifying the community of pending implementation of regulations or programs.  The federal agency must work with and address concerns of the local government units, and if the local government has a plan or policy in place that conflicts with the federal plan, the federal agency must adopt their plan to harmonize with the local plan!

Using this, his organization has been working with those local governments to leverage this requirement to protect private property and individual liberty rights from usurpation by federal bureaucrats.  Their organization is working with several states, mainly in the west, to educate and empower local units of government as to the power this regulation reserves into the hands of local elected officials and local governmental agencies, including water districts, conservation districts, etc.

Byfield discussed the particulars of how this powerful concept was used (and is now being used) to stop the wholesale implementation of the TTC, also known as the “NAFTA Superhighway” whose ultimate goal is to create a corridor from central Mexico to Canada, running straight through the central plains of the United States.  You can read about the background and ongoing efforts on this issue here.

They found language in state statute that mandated that even state agencies must coordinate with local regional planning agencies on any proposed effort, and set to work to create those local planning agencies between five towns, representing multiple county jurisdictions, right in the pathway of the TTC, putting a 30 mile wide gap in the pathway.  These five mayors are actively working to keep the TTC from being implemented, and are reaching out to other surrounding mayors to “coordinate” with them.  American Stewards of Liberty has created eight more of these local regional planning commissions in Texas.

Their continuing efforts led to a signficant change in the desire of the state government to push for the continuation of the TTC plans, actually killing legislation that would have extended authority for this, something that Texas Governor Rick Perry was seeking.

Byfield knows the TTC is not dead; like any bad idea, it has just been repackaged under a new name:  Innovative Connectivity Vision of Texas/2009.  The state wants to split the project into segments, but use the entire route plan as the template, which may violate a number of federal regulations.

Byfield also discussed a grassroots effort to reinvigorate our representation:  GOOOH.  He believes this is a doable option.  I will personally reserve judgment on this until more details are revealed about how to ensure the process.

General, Education, Events, Private Property, Commentary, The Vote, Economics, Uncategorized

Mark Mix–National Right to Work Committee: Labor Unions–Organized Socialism

This entry is part 24 of 28 in the series Freedom 21 Conference

f21-banner-4The luncheon speaker for Freedom21 today is Mark Mix, the president of the National Right to Work Committee.   His engaging talk today focused on how the involuntary collection of union dues is used as a financial prop for candidates who oppose Constitutionally-limited government and the principles of freedom.  Mix noted that the motto of his organization is “Everyone should have the right to join a union, but no one should be compelled to join.”

He talked about the profound impact a period, yes the punctuation mark, has had on our country.  In relation to the National Labor Relations Act, the language that would give the rights to defer from being compelled to join a union was not ended with a period, but with a qualified exemption statement which spelled out the compulsory right of unions to require membership.

Right to work was passed in 1947 as a corrective to the problems created in the 1935 NLRA.  It allowed states to outlaw forced unionism , and 22 states have done so (no, Ohio hasn’t exercised this option).  Data shows that overall economic vitality is improved in states which have exercised the right to work option, and those states have increased residency migration to the state as well.

There are some significant interests who have a vested interest in forced unionism and the involuntary payment of dues to the union (forced unionism is a $20 billion/year business, and is growing yearly).  This economic muscle is being utilized politically at this point to try to eliminate the ability to keep union organizing votes as secret ballots (the card check legislation).  A large proportion of this is to push forced unionism on all workers, and a provision in it would require government officials to mandate terms of contracts if an agreement cannot be reached between the union and the employer within 120 days, which would give the union leaders unprecedented leverage to demand massive concessions.  The president of the SEIU union knows that passage of this bill will expand union numbers by 1.5 million per year for the next 10 to 15 years.  Even if mandatory dues would only be $35 per year, it equates to a massive influx of money for the union leaders to use to further centralize control over both employers and the employees they supposedly represent.

Mix notes the big prize they are seeking is First Contract Arbitration, which would mandate the above 120 day time limit, and would prevent any renegotiation of the contract for at least two years.  Mix also noted that the ability to force individuals to contribute to an agenda with which they by and large disagree with, with no voice in how such practices should be done, is the essence of socialism.


Uncategorized, General, Education, Events, Commentary

Communicating with the grassroots–New ways, new technology

This entry is part 21 of 28 in the series Freedom 21 Conference

f21-banner-4The opening session today was a panel on how to use new technologies and techniques to communicate and activate the grassroots of America.  The panel consisted of John Stadtmiller of the Republic Broadcasting Network, and Gary Franchi and George Shepherd of Republic magazine.

Stadtmiller discussed the history of the network he operates, utilizing alternative media and internet based broadcasting to bring voices to the airwaves which wouldn’t be normally heard on commercial radio.  The Network’s motto is “Real News Real Talk Real People:  Because you can handle the truth”.

Gary Franchi, publisher of Republic magazine, discussed the usage of new technology to bring together people and organizations to activate the freedom movement.   They have launched a social networking site, ala FaceBook, called RTR ActNet, dubbed “the activist network for the modern revolutionary” to bring together freedom activists in community.  The platform is being used to help generate idea development and provide a space for those who are working to promote liberty, often without recognition or thanks, to be able to share their efforts with others.

George Shepherd discussed the rationale for the formation of Republic magazine, and that it is a information organ to help people learn about information much like what has been presented over these last two days at the Freedom21 Conference.  They are launching a local franchising option for folks who are interested in developing media for their communities or regions and need publishing support.   Shepherd believes that in order to be able to be successful in restoring our Constitutional republican form of government. 

Another effort that Shepherd discussed is the formation of an online “television network”, Freedom TV, which he dubbs the “1st online TV station for the patriot movement.”  From on-demand movie downloads to liberty-based informational programming, Freedom TV has it.

All in all, the panel’s main message is that there are numerous streams available to share information and to encourage activists without having it filtered or suppressed by the main stream media, whether it be via the Internet or over the airwaves.  The information revolution may be a key to the restoration of the republic.

Uncategorized, General, Commentary

Too close to the fire

I recently had the pleasure of viewing again a classic movie that I had not seen in years, and I still marvel at just how current the message of the movie really is, even after 65 years.

“Keeper of the Flame” is a 1942 MGM feature starring two of Hollywood’s biggest names of the era, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, whose cinematic chemistry is on full display and adds texture to the suspenseful tale of the mysterious death of politician Robert Forrest.

In this tale, based upon an unpublished novel that I really wish would have been, Tracy stars as renouned international reporter Stephen O’Malley and Hepburn as the widow Christine Forrest. After learning of the untimely death of Forrest, whose car crashes into a ravine after a bridge collapse, O’Malley determines to write a (hagiographic) biography of the wildly popular candidate.

As O’Malley works his way into the Forrest family compound, a mystery begins to build about the events surrounding the recent tragedy. He is faced with confusing comments from the servants he meets, and is initially rebuffed by the grieving widow as he attempts to find out more about the man behind the image. This starts his internal struggle of trying to align his feelings of admiration of the deceased with what he is learning from those closest to him, while at the same time coming to grips with his growing suspicions that the “accidental” death was anything but accidental.

Ultimately, O’Malley begins to unravel a bigger mystery, and begins to see something that he at first doesn’t want to believe: Robert Forrest, patriotic American everyman, has more affinity for tyranny than for liberty. This revelation, and his deepening relationship with Christine Forrest who begins to trust this “honest man” and reveal more about the real Robert Forrest, carries some interesting commentary about the American character, the faith of the American people, and the seductive desire for power that comes with the rejection of God’s authority.

One of my favorite scenes occurs when O’Malley is conversing with Forrest’s executive assistant (called a secretary in this early 40’s dialogue) about the assistant’s future now that his employer would no longer be requiring his services. The assistant asks if O’Malley could help him locate a new position. O’Malley refers to a firm in New York, and the assistant asks what the firm does. The answer: They manufacture “rousing affirmatives” in the form of positive public relations via manipulation of the media for their clients; these “rousing affirmatives” are the responses of the general masses of the American public to the managed message, and ultimately to the carefully crafted image of the person. The assistant reacts as if he might have been just bitten by a snake, which deepens the mystery.

Without revealing the final plot device, I will leave this review to say that the character Robert Forrest will look familiar to many, especially those who pay attention to national politics. The dialogues, one about how people need those to look up to, and another about the dangers of hero-worship replacing our due worship to God, are remarkably poignant in this postmodern era. Given that in 1942 the world was beginning to come to grips with real tyranny in the forms of many national leaders makes this movie all the more a stunning indictment of the idea of “pure democracy.”

This movie was re-released on VHS (sorry, can’t seem to find any DVD edition forthcoming) in 2000. It is available at some online outlets, but it’s slightly expensive. If you can find a copy at your local library (or don’t mind shelling out up to $30 for a VHS copy), then take the opportunity to see a rare example of Hollywood (perhaps) unintentionally speaking deep truth.

Uncategorized, Public Policy Radar, Gambling, Public Policy Principles News

Games of Skill? No Chance! Update

2 Comments

gamblingIn an article in today’s Columbus Dispatch (June 20, 2007), Ohio House Speaker Jon Husted called for legislation to ban so-called “games of skill,” reiterating his opinion that “…just because a game is 51% skill does not make it a game of skill…” and also that the move to re-label the games is merely a backdoor incremental approach to legalize the devices. Governor Ted Strickland and Attorney General Mark Dann have called for limiting payouts but Husted isn’t swayed by the arguments for this. He says limiting payouts will not limit losses, which is the bottom line for the gambling device manufacturers, distributors and operators who rely on the long odds for their considerable profit margins.

We can only speculate what effect this will have on attempts to expand gambling through Video Lottery Terminals (VLT’s) modified to show archived horse races that are represented in HB 118 and SB 125, currently before the Ohio Legislature.

We applaud Speaker Husted’s stand on principle. Thank you, sir!

Come back for updates. Tell us what you think with a comment.

Uncategorized, General, Marriage and Family, Education, Public Policy Radar, Gambling

Report From Ohio Family Lobby Day

Every year in the spring, a coalition of Christian family policy groups come together to sponsor Ohio Family Lobby Day (OFLD). This year it took place on Wednesday April 25. More than 60 people participated in this year’s event including my wife and two of my three children. Sponsoring groups included The Institute For Principled Policy, Pro-Family Network, Ohio Christian Alliance, Family First, Homemakers For America, Citizens For Community Values, Center For Bio-Ethical Reform and many others.

The purpose of OFLD is really four-fold. First, the participants get practical experience in meeting and speaking with their elected representatives. This is absolutely necessary if Christians are to have influence in making state and national policy. Second, the participants learn the best way to be persuasive in speaking with lawmakers. It is imperative that Christians develop cordial working relationships with lawmakers coming from a variety of perspectives and political parties. Third, Christians learn the details of bills which impact their families, churches, jobs and lives. Being aware of what legislators are working on is necessary for all families, if they are to have the impact on the culture that the Christian faith mandates. Fourth, important information is returned to Christian policy groups regarding where representatives stand on legislation that they believe to be crucial to their efforts.

The OFLD participants were divided into teams of four or 5 members. Several teams had whole families as members. My own team consisted of my wife and youngest daughter, two delightful pro-life Christian activists and me. I was appointed a team leader. My oldest daughter was placed on another team. The OFLD organizers made appointments for each team with legislators. Registration began at 8:00 AM and the group opened with prayer slightly behind schedule, a little after 9:00 AM. Following this was a short instruction on lobbying followed by briefings on several bills that the group would be concentrating on.

Among the bills the group was working for were SB-16, the Community Defense Act (CDA) already passed by the Ohio Senate and now pending in the Ohio House, a continuation of abstinence education which Governor Strickland has stated he will not continue; SB-20, the Adoption Tax Credit Increase already passed by the Ohio Senate and now pending in the Ohio House; continuation of the Ed Choice Scholarship program in the budget process and charter schools, which Governor Strickland wants to end or seriously curtail; HB-47 and HB-123, two bills which would end the attempts to tax churches in the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and prevent this from occurring in the future. The group also was instructed on opposition to HB-81, The Mandatory Gardasil Vaccination Bill, support for the Covenant Marriage Bill (not yet numbered), seeking co-sponsors for the Personhood bill and opposition to the Prevention First Act.

Our team met with two state Senators and had appointments with three state Representatives. Due to the State of the Judiciary speech followed immediately by House session, we met mostly with aides of the lawmakers and unfortunately, one of the representative’s aides was taken ill and so our team’s appointment was canceled. Appointments lasted about 15 minutes and each team leader tried to make sure that any team member who had something to contribute to the lobbying efforts was given the opportunity to speak. I have had some limited experience and did most of the talking, but all of my team-mates also made important contributions to the effort. Only my daughter Stephanie had very little to say, she’s only 12, but she did manage to charm her way into a tour of the Capitol and she was very attentive to what was being said and done by the adults.

A fine lunch was provided as part of the cost of registration. The lobbyists-in-training were treated by a talk from Representative Bill Batchelder who asked us to not let our lobbying efforts be a once-a-year event but that we continue our work throughout the legislative session. We also were treated to a surprise speaker- former Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell, who gave a very inspirational talk on our efforts to have an influence in policymaking.

Between meetings some team members took advantage of the opportunity to watch the legislative process in action from the galleries while others took the time to explore the Capitol’s many historical displays, or to study legislative talking points.

At the end of the day, the teams were asked to fill out a de-briefing form which asked important questions regarding how the lobbying efforts were received, what legislative efforts the lawmakers supported and which ones they opposed. Thus invaluable information was gathered about which representatives support or oppose important bills and give insight on their approachability on future efforts.

My family’s OFLD experience was very positive. As a homeschooling parent, we believe our children gained a priceless lesson on how policy-related things are done, they got to see their parents in action trying to make Ohio a better place to live and they got experience in how to do the job themselves in the future. My oldest daughter thinks she might like to work in the state legislature, something she had never thought about before. This was well worth the registration fee. Come join us next spring and bring the kids!