Tea Party group to Skip Stam: Thanks, but NO THANKS

It’s become pretty clear that conservatives in Dare, Beaufort, Carteret and surrounding counties are unhappy with state House Speaker Thom Tillis.  Now,  a conservative group centered in Wayne County is voicing its displeasure with House Majority Leader Skip Stam.

Citizens for Constitutional Liberties, a Tea Party Group based in Wayne County, has retracted its invitation to the legislative leader to speak at the group’s July 21 constitutional seminar.  According to its web site, CCL’s more prominent supporters and participants include Senator Louis Pate (R) and Rep. Efton Sager (R).  

Linda Harper, a spokesperson for CCL, delivered the news to Stam in a June 20 email:

Mr. Stam,

After receiving the following information, we have decided that since we are Citizens for Constitutional Liberties, we want a speaker who helps promote government that is more in line with the Constitution to speak at our Constitution Seminar on Saturday, July 21. ( But thank you so much for being willing to come and speak.)  :

Individual liberty is only protected and enlarged when constitutional limits are respected, the checks and balances work as intended, and the states are diligent guardians of those “reserved” powers referred to in the Tenth Amendment. House Majority Leader Stam has told Founder’s Truth that he doesn’t believe in the state’s power to second-guess or question the powers of the federal government. 

What that tells me is that the federal government is our master and our state leadership likes it that way.    North Carolina appears to be a federal cling-on rather than a  sovereign state. Mr. Stam called Nullification (the “Rightful” states’ rights remedy to limit the size and scope of the federal government, as Thomas Jefferson himself articulated) an outdated racist doctrine.  I didn’t know Mr. Stam knew  more about the Constitution and founding principles than Jefferson.

  I know lawyers can be quite cocky and Stam is a lawyer, but I think his position is more than arrogant.  Especially when one of the most notable times in our history that Nullification was used effectively was by the Wisconsin state supreme court to protect run-away slaves from the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, which it declared was unconstitutional under the Tenth Amendment.  So how could Mr. Stam call it a racist doctrine?    

  Rep. Bradley has exerted many efforts to assert the sovereign powers of this state.  As I told them, he is the representative responsible for introducing a State Sovereignty resolution (H.R. 34; “State’s Right to Claim Sovereignty”) and other strong states’ rights (including nullification) type bills. For example, check out his resolutions HR 982 (“Opposition to NDAA“; it declares the “indefinite detention of American citizens” provision of NDAA as unconstitutional and unenforceable in NC) and HR 983 “(ICLEI Noncompliance“; NC will not comply with Agenda-21), which Stam recently made sure would never see the light. Also check out some other bills he has introduced:

— The North Carolina Farmers Freedom Protection Act (HB 65; this bill says that all intrastate traffic is exempted from Congress’ Commerce Clause authority. This means that all foodstuff and other products that are produced and shipped within the borders of NC and do not leave the state are exempted from congressional regulation)

— The NC Firearms Freedom Act (HB 241; this bill says that any guns or ammunition manufactured and maintained within the state will be exempt from Congress’ Commerce Clause authority)

— The Constitutional Tender Act (HB 448; NC would recognize gold and silver as legal tender)

— The Prevent REAL ID Implementation Act (HB 445, which would have prevented a ‘nationalized’ drivers license)

— The Electoral Freedom Act of 2011 (HB 32; makes it easier to register a new political party in NC)

— The NC Jobs Bill (HB 587; NC would enact meaningful regulatory reform to stimulate job growth)

These bills are sitting in various committees, most of them in Judiciary – where they will simply die. These bills are apparently not important.  It was, of course, of highest priority recently to pass a bill adopting the Yellow Swallowtail as the official state butterfly (S 235). 

So you can see why, if you are holding an education event named “Camp Liberty” and focusing on the Constitution and its guarantee of liberty, Rep. Paul Stam is not the man you need to soak up the spotlight.  It’s Glen Bradley and leaders like him.

Thanks again for your time, and we look forward to seeing our General Assembly pass  more bills that protect our Constitutional liberties.
Linda Harper

 

I’ve heard talk from Raleigh insiders that there is a plan  afoot by some NCGOP leaders  to have Stam and Tillis campaign across the state for Pat McCrory and other GOP candidates.  After seeing public reaction like this to the state House leaders,  I am sure GOP campaigns from Murphy to Manteo are taking Pink Floyd’s advice and running like hell from that strategy.