Title: Never give up: a note regarding South Carolina's effort for Convention of States

Original CoS Document (slug): never-give-up

Created: 2018-02-27 14:53:26

Updated: 2019-01-04 05:42:44

Published: 2018-02-27 19:00:00

Converted: 2025-03-29T14:49:53.947091265

Disappointed? Yes. Frustrated? Yes. Quitting?

Never.

Supporters of the Convention of States resolution in South Carolina brought their case before the House Judiciary Sub-Committee Tuesday of last week.

It was clear from the beginning that the meeting had been rigged for failure.

February 20, 2018, was a date we had worked hard for in order to bring the resolution, H-3233, to a vote before a committee of five legislators, and it felt like we were making progress.

I'm very new in my experience with COS, but once I learned what it was about, I volunteered to serve as District Captain. Since I have a background in writing, I was asked if I would help by writing a blog post. Well, this is my first actual blog post and it was also the first time I'd seen a sub-committee at work, or in this case, not working.

When some of the members of this subcommittee showed up late, the committee was not able to begin until ten minutes had already gone, leaving only 50 minutes left of the original hour allowed for the hearing.

Adapting to the shortened timeline, two of our four speakers graciously announced that they would cede their time in order to leave time for a vote. When one considers how the subcommittee raised plenty of additional points and questions, it soon became clear that there would be no vote. When the hour ran out, the same committee that had no problem starting late, had no problem stopping like a broken clock.

It was refreshing to hear Rep. Bill Taylor.

“Washington is dysfunctional,” he said. “The people aren't happy with it. The national debt is spiraling out of control and the federal government has stripped South Carolina of its legal authority. Washington is not our parent, it's our child.”

Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Convention of States Project, spoke with knowledge and certainty as well as respect. “The greatest privilege a citizen can have is addressing its legislators.”

He graciously answered questions from the committee, namely, Rep. Mandy Norrell. She asked about the three specific subjects that are being addressed by COS via Article V.

Meckler's response was, “fiscal restraint, the scope of the federal government, and term limits”.

The people representing the opposing view, the John Birch Society, were allowed to speak, as it should be. They were also allowed to continue speaking until the time was up and the clock ran out on the meeting.

The Sub-Committee Chairman, Rep. Peter McCoy, never gave the committee a chance to take a vote.

It's my understanding that Rep. Greg Delleney is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He appointed the subcommittee and placed himself on it. Maybe I'm just new, but doesn't that seem odd?

Is this normal for how our government works in Columbia? I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised - we see the same thing in Washington, D.C. Monkey see, monkey do. A handful of people are allowed to stonewall anything they don't like.

With over 20,000 supporters in South Carolina, 33 co-sponsors in the House, and a recent survey indicating an overwhelming majority of South Carolinians support the Convention of States resolution, one would think the committee would make it a priority to at least vote on the resolution.

As I learn just how broken our system is, I'll be contacting my fellow South Carolinians. We need to find qualified people and ask them to serve as our elected officials in Columbia, South Carolina. We need people that are willing to stand up for the people of this state and our constitution. My grandchildren deserve a better country and so do yours.

Leaving the Blatt building my thought was, “I have not yet begun to fight.” Who is with me? Click here to stand with us.