http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ5NdljI2PY

I AM Campaign for Liberty is an interactive declaration designed to bring recognition to the many personalities that make up the C4L community.  Campaign for Liberty members from across the country will be posting videos on this site, thereby breathing life and conviction into the foundational mission and principles of Campaign for Liberty.  To find out more and learn how to submit your own video, visit IAMC4L.com today!

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Yesterday, Jack Hunter (a.k.a. - the Southern Avenger) finally had his opportunity to interview Lindsey Graham on WTMA in South Carolina.  The interview can be found here.  Jack joins the interview around 9 minutes in and challenges Graham on numerous issues.  By the end, Graham has his neoconservative flag unfurled and begins ranting about the war in Iraq being "just," and how it was "right" to topple Saddam Hussein, and that it's better to be continuously "fighting them over there, so we don't fight them here."

Article brought to you by Campaign For Liberty Blog.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Debra Medina will be joining us as a featured speaker at Nullify Now! on 09-04-10 in Ft Worth, Texas.  There are just a few tickets left – Click here for more information and to reserve tickets now – or call 888-71-TICKETS

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The ties between England and what would become the United States of America were severed, as Tench Coxe, delegate from Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress, put it, in large part due to the perversion and mal-administration of the British government.[i] Two hundred years later, Americans are manifesting similar levels of frustration with government and inflammatory terms like secession are being used by politicians ever anxious to grab the media spotlight and secure their re-election.  But what have they done exactly to correct the “perversion and mal-administration” of the government?

Our founders, astute students of history, well understood as St. Augustine had described, Libido Dominandi, the lust to dominate. They knew that if permitted, the federal government would transgress the limits of the constitution, and, as Thomas Jefferson remarked, “[annihilate] the state governments and erect upon their ruins a general consolidated government.”[ii]

Mr. Jefferson wrote in 1799, “lest [our] silence be construed into an acquiescence…the states…being sovereign and independent, have the unquestionable right to judge of [the federal government’s] infraction; and “That a nullification, by those sovereignties [states] of all unauthorized acts done under color of that instrument [the Constituion] is the rightful remedy.[iii]

Mr. Jefferson understood that a stronger response than mere petitions and protests would be necessary but he sought ever to preserve the union and thus viewed secession only as a last resort.

He understood that the states must stand in defense of the liberty of the people.  He knew the federal government would seek to annihilate the states and dominate all American life.

Thomas E. Woods Jr., in his recent best-seller, Nullification, references state representative John Breckinridge’s comments to the Kentucky legislature of 1799, “the people at the state level ought to make a legislative declaration that, being unconstitutional, they [federal actions] are therefore void and of no effect.”  With regard to unconstitutional federal actions, Breckinridge hoped “Congress might repeal them, or that decent judges might refuse to act upon them” but in the interim recognized the states obligation to “nullify those acts and to protect their citizens from their operation.”

What stops us from following in Mr. Jefferson’s footsteps and declaring Obamacare and Cap and Trade Initiatives, “palpable violations of the said constitution” and “consider a silent acquiescence as highly criminal?”  In that vein, the Texas legislature has the “right and is duty bound to interpose for arresting the progress of evil, and for maintaining our authorities, rights and liberties” declaring this federal action unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect in the sovereign state of Texas![iv] Failing to do so, we, as Congressman Edward Livingston of New York declared in 1798 “deserve the chains which these measures are forging” for us.[v]

Debra Medina got involved in politics in the 1990s and became Wharton County GOP chairwoman in 2004. She was a high-level volunteer for Ron Paul’s 2008 presidential campaign, and served as Interim State Coordinator for the Campaign for Liberty. At the 2008 Republican Party of Texas state convention in Houston, she lost her bid for state GOP vice chairwoman. In 2008, she decided to run for governor. Visit her new organization at WeTexans.com

[i] The Debate on the Constitution, Federalist and Antifederalist Speeches, Articles, and Letters During the Struggle Over Ratification, Part One: September 1787 to February 1788, 22, Literary Classics of the United States, New York, N.Y., 1993.

[ii] The Kentucky Resolutions of 1799, Elliot, Jonathan Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution, Volume IV, 544-545, Lippincott (1907).

[iii] ibid

[iv] Ibid

[v] Woods, Thomas E. Jr., Nullification, How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21^st Century. P. 53 Regnery Publishing, Inc., 2010.

Article brought to you by Tenth Amendment Center.

A story like this comes up at least once a year. We've heard it before: a resident and member of a homeowners' association wants to display a political or religious item in their yard, which violates the association rules. From there a battle begins between the two parties over "free speech" and "censorship."

In this case, an Arizona man wanted to proudly display his Gadsden Flag to the objections of his homeowners' association. 

Article brought to you by Campaign For Liberty Blog.

Two years ago today, over 10,000 friends of liberty gathered together in the Target Center in Minneapolis across the river from the RNC gathering in St. Paul.  For me, this was not a protest, or a "counter convention," it was a celebration.  We gathered there, recollecting events throughout Ron Paul's presidential campaign that happened to bring this diverse group of individuals together into a cohesive movement, not just supporting a candidate for public office anymore, but as newly-formed advocates for a philosophy of liberty.  It would not mark the end of the "Ron Paul R3VOLution."  Instead, it was just the beginning. 

I want to take a brief moment to share my recollection of that event.  I remember driving 17 hours from Harrisburg, PA to Minneapolis with my older brother just a few days before.  I remember passing dozens of Ron Paul 2008 signs along the highway in nearly every state; it was quite obvious others had been traveling the same route before us.  The excitement built as we attended the "Ron Paul Nation Celebration" and listened to great musicians like Rick Ellis, Marc Scibilia, and Aimee Allen.  Finally came the day for the rally.  It was great hearing speeches from Tom Woods, Bruce Fein, Doug Wead, Barry Goldwater Jr., and of course Dr. Paul himself along with many others (who could forget the great musical performance of Jimmy Vaughn?).  So much happened on the trip it's hard to share in a short statement.

It was an exciting time for those of us who made the journey.  I'm sure many of you have stories about the event as well.  Please feel free to share them in the comments section!

Article brought to you by Campaign For Liberty Blog.

This week marks the second anniversary of the Rally for the Republic. C4L's Kevin Brett put together a quick video looking back at where we've been as a movement and looking forward to what we will accomplish together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oypzvwwtBLg

Article brought to you by Campaign For Liberty Blog.

It's no wonder we're in such an economic mess.  The AP reports soon-to-be former White House economist Christina Romer called for increased government spending and reduced taxes.  I'll agree with the latter.  How anyone can honestly believe that we need more increased spending after TARP, the Stimulus bill, the Omnibus appropriations bill and numerous smaller/individualized bailouts is beyond me. 

The brief article goes on to state Romer is leaving her position to retake her job as an economics professor at UC Berkeley (If you go there, please, please, please don't study econ from this woman).

Article brought to you by Campaign For Liberty Blog.

Congressman Paul is scheduled to be on Fox Business' America's Nightly Scoreboard with David Asman tonight.  The program airs at 7pm eastern.

Update: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc4hjvVnpLc

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In his latest column, economist Walter E. Williams looks at what often goes unseen:

Scarcity means there's no free lunch. Having more of one thing requires having less of another. You might say, "Williams, that's where you're wrong. Someone gave me this newspaper and I'm reading your column for free!" Not true. If you weren't spending time reading my column, you might have spent the time reading something else, chatting with your wife or children, or going out for a jog. You're reading my column for a zero price but you're not doing so at zero cost. You have to sacrifice something. There are zero-price services such as "free libraries," "free public schools," "free transportation" and free whatever. It doesn't mean that costs are not being borne by somebody....

Read the rest.

Earlier today, CNN reported on a new program in San Francisco called "Kindergarten to College" (K2C), which will ultimately provide savings accounts for each student in San Fran's public schools.  According to AOL's "Wallet Pop," the city will provide the intitial $50 to start the account and an additional $50 if students qualify for "free or reduced-priced school lunches."  (Notice, like Williams points out, the assumption of something provided by the state being "free.")  EARN, a non-profit, will also contribute $100 to match what families give in the first year.

Like many other state (and federal) programs, this will be sold as necessary "for the children."  How about working with the state to give families a tax break?  But that would take government out of the picture, and the politicians just can't have that.  Instead, the city will be praised by many who never stop to consider where the $50 (which is going to add up once done for each student.  If this program were enacted in Fall 2008, it would have cost at least $200,000.) really comes from.

Article brought to you by Campaign For Liberty Blog.

There's a debate and a poll at the Economist about a government effort to grandstand on behalf of privacy in telecommunications -- even as that same government attacks our privacy in a million ways, including online. To stand up to the hypocrisy, go to the site and vote no.

Article brought to you by Campaign For Liberty Blog.