Mr. Alexander,
Noel Osborn
The Madison Coalition
noel.osborn28@gmail.com
502-777-0135
TEXT:
"Whenever one quarter of the Members of the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate
transmit to the President their written declaration of opposition to a
proposed federal regulation, it shall require a majority vote of the House
and Senate to adopt that regulation."
As the WSJ piece below suggests, state legislative leaders in 2/3 of the
states could force Congress to propose the Amendment as early as 2015.
Even the credible threat that states might force Congress to propose such an Amendment could dramatically transform the regulatory environment.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
May 5, 2014
LETTERS
STATES CAN AND SHOULD RESTRAIN REGULATORS
State legislators in two thirds of the states could force Congress to
propose a "Regulation Freedom" amendment to the U.S. Constitution just as states forced Congress to propose the original Bill of Rights.
May 4, 2014 6:28 p.m. ET
As your April 30 editorial "The EPA Unchained" points out, the courts have
given federal regulators enormous power with little accountability.
The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act, passed in the
House with bipartisan support requiring that Congress approve major federal
regulations, is unlikely to get 60 Senate votes or a presidential signature,
even though polls show voters like the idea.
But state legislators in two-thirds of the states could force Congress to
propose a similar "Regulation Freedom" amendment to the U.S. Constitution
just as the states forced Congress to propose the original Bill of Rights.
Congress will do almost anything to avoid a convention that would be more
powerful than Congress. Two-thirds of the states working together would also
have the power to safely limit their delegates to an up-or-down vote on just
the amendment states wanted.
Perhaps it is time for state leaders to do what the authors of our Constitution intended them to do-rein in the abuse of power in Washington.
Roman Buhler
Director
The Madison Coalition
McLean, Va.
For Online Version Continue to:
http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB100014240527023036784045795357514
80408692-lMyQjAxMTA0MDAwNTEwNDUyWj
-------------------------------------------------------
Support for the "Regulation Freedom Amendment" now includes (partial list):
GOVERNORS
Mike Pence, IN
Phil Bryant, MS
STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS
IN Senate President David Long
GA Senate President David Schafer
TN Senate Maj. Leader Mark Norris
UT Senate Maj. Leader Curt Bramble
IN House Speaker Brian Bosma
ID House Speaker Scott Bedke
WY House Speaker Tom Lubnau
OH House Speaker Pro-Tem Matt Huffman
STATE LEGISLATORS
A bipartisan group of more 100 state legislators now supports the Regulation
Freedom Amendment.
CONSERVATIVE LEADERS
American for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist
Federalist Society Co-Founder David McIntosh
David Keene, Former President NRA
Former RNC Chair and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
Former Ohio Secretary of
State Ken Blackwell
Former House Appropriations Chair Bob Livingston.
McCain 2008 Chair Charlie Black
BUSINESS GROUPS
Indiana Manufacturers Assoc.
Indiana Bankers Assoc.
CONSERVATIVE GROUPS
National Taxpayers Union
Wyoming Republican Party
South Dakota Republican Party
LEGAL EXPERTS
Chuck Cooper, Former Director, Office of White House Legal Counsel
John Ryder, General Counsel, RNC
David Norcross, fmr. RNC Gen. Counsel Tom Sansonetti, fmr RNC Gen. Counsel Mark Braden, fmr RNC Gen. Counsel
Curt Levy, Pres. Cmtee for Justice
Bill Schweitzer, Baker and Hostetler
PUBLIC OPINION
Polls (one attached) show 2-1 voter support for the Regulation Freedom Amendment
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
The Indiana legislature and the Georgia Senate have passed measures urging
Congress to propose the Regulation Freedom Amendment. Similar measures are under consideration in other states.
The legislatures of IN, GA, FL, and TN have all strengthened their
persuasive power with Congress by passing "faithful delegate" laws that
protect the Constitution against the risk of a "runaway convention" by
empowering the state to replace disobedient delegates.
These laws would give a coalition of 2/3 of the states the option to realistically threaten a Convention strictly limited to an up or down vote on a specific Amendment. Faced with such a coalition Congress has always proposed the Amendment states want to avoid even the possibility that 2/3 of the states might act.
ADVANTAGES OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
1.Does not need the President's signature.
2.Can't be repealed by a future Congress.
3.Almost impossible to challenge as "unconstitutional" on separation of powers or other grounds issues.
4. 34 States could potentially force Congress to propose it the way the states forced Congress to propose the Bill of Rights.
OUR STRATEGY
1. Build endorsements in 2014 for urging Congress to propose the Regulation Freedom Amendment among legislators, and political, business, and grassroots leaders. An endorsement helps end "regulation without representation".
2. Encourage our allies to help pro-Regulation Freedom Amendment legislators in Nov. 2014. Voters back it by 2-1 margins. Every candidate can be asked "Do you support the Regulation Freedom Amendment?"
3. Assemble a bipartisan group of legislative leaders from 30-34 states after the Nov. 2014 election to come to agreement on the final text of the Amendment. Such an agreement would be a "first" in American history. Media,, regulators and Congress would notice.
The 28 states with Republican majorities, pro-energy Democrats in at least 3 states, WV, KY, and the NM Senate, and Republican gains in ME, NH, IA and the NM House could create pro-regulation reform majorities in the necessary 34 states.
4. Work for the adoption of a U.S. House Rule and pledge by a majority of U.S. Senators to recognize and enforce the 10th Amendment right of states to strictly limit the scope of an Article V Convention, thus helping to ensure that states can safely use Article V.
5. Mobilize state legislators in 34 states to action that forces Congress to propose the "Regulation Freedom Amendment" in 2015.
As this movement gathers momentum it could deter many of the worst regulations now being readied behind closed doors for introduction after the 2014 election.
Congress would have every incentive to move legislation to reform the regulatory process.
And as the issue became more prominent, voters would have a choice between candidates who supported making regulators more accountable to elected officials and those who could be characterized as "rubber stamps for federal regulators".
WHAT STATE LEGISLATORS CAN DO:
1. Join more than 100 state legislators in more than 20 states in supporting the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
2. Tell legislative and business allies in your state and in other states that you support urging Congress to propose the Regulation Freedom Amendment to curb the abuses of federal regulators in Washington.
3. Work with us to set up meetings with business and grassroots leaders to educate them about the Regulation Freedom Amendment and how motivated state legislators could persuade Congress to propose it..
4. Consider authoring an op. ed in a publication in your state.
WHAT BUSINESS LEADERS CAN DO:
1. Endorse the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
2. Tell legislative and business allies, especially, in the 34 key states about support for the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
3. Work with us actively to mobilize business and legislative support at the state and local level.
4. Contribute funds or other resources to the Madison Coalition to help promote this effort.
WHAT VOLUNTEERS CAN DO:
1. ENDORSE the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
2. Tell friends about our effort.
3. Consider volunteering a little time to help us recruit more supporters for the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
A team of just 100 people willing to personally contact as few as 1 or 2 grassroots leaders per week will very quickly build a network of more than 1000 grassroots leaders (at least 30 leaders in each of our 34 key states) who have endorsed the Regulation Freedom Amendment. These leaders will be decisive in educating and mobilizing the. legislators we need in our 34 target states about how they can act to force Congress to rein in the abuse of power in Washington.
Thanks for your interest in curbing the abuses of federal regulators in Washington.
It was such a pleasure getting to talk to you Wednesday afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to hear about our project.
Below my signature you will find more information regarding the Regulation Freedom Amendment. Please feel free to contact me if you would like more information or if you have any questions.
Again, we are currently looking for leaders who are willing to endorse the amendment itself. Kindest regards,
502-777-0135
Twitter: @NoelOsborn
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TEXT:
"Whenever one quarter of the Members of the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate
transmit to the President their written declaration of opposition to a
proposed federal regulation, it shall require a majority vote of the House
and Senate to adopt that regulation."
As the WSJ piece below suggests, state legislative leaders in 2/3 of the
states could force Congress to propose the Amendment as early as 2015.
Even the credible threat that states might force Congress to propose such an Amendment could dramatically transform the regulatory environment.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
May 5, 2014
LETTERS
STATES CAN AND SHOULD RESTRAIN REGULATORS
State legislators in two thirds of the states could force Congress to
propose a "Regulation Freedom" amendment to the U.S. Constitution just as states forced Congress to propose the original Bill of Rights.
May 4, 2014 6:28 p.m. ET
As your April 30 editorial "The EPA Unchained" points out, the courts have
given federal regulators enormous power with little accountability.
The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act, passed in the
House with bipartisan support requiring that Congress approve major federal
regulations, is unlikely to get 60 Senate votes or a presidential signature,
even though polls show voters like the idea.
But state legislators in two-thirds of the states could force Congress to
propose a similar "Regulation Freedom" amendment to the U.S. Constitution
just as the states forced Congress to propose the original Bill of Rights.
Congress will do almost anything to avoid a convention that would be more
powerful than Congress. Two-thirds of the states working together would also
have the power to safely limit their delegates to an up-or-down vote on just
the amendment states wanted.
Perhaps it is time for state leaders to do what the authors of our Constitution intended them to do-rein in the abuse of power in Washington.
Roman Buhler
Director
The Madison Coalition
McLean, Va.
For Online Version Continue to:
http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB100014240527023036784045795357514
80408692-lMyQjAxMTA0MDAwNTEwNDUyWj
-------------------------------------------------------
Support for the "Regulation Freedom Amendment" now includes (partial list):
GOVERNORS
Mike Pence, IN
Phil Bryant, MS
STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS
IN Senate President David Long
GA Senate President David Schafer
TN Senate Maj. Leader Mark Norris
UT Senate Maj. Leader Curt Bramble
IN House Speaker Brian Bosma
ID House Speaker Scott Bedke
WY House Speaker Tom Lubnau
OH House Speaker Pro-Tem Matt Huffman
STATE LEGISLATORS
A bipartisan group of more 100 state legislators now supports the Regulation
Freedom Amendment.
CONSERVATIVE LEADERS
American for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist
Federalist Society Co-Founder David McIntosh
David Keene, Former President NRA
Former RNC Chair and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson
Former Ohio Secretary of
State Ken Blackwell
Former House Appropriations Chair Bob Livingston.
McCain 2008 Chair Charlie Black
BUSINESS GROUPS
Indiana Manufacturers Assoc.
Indiana Bankers Assoc.
CONSERVATIVE GROUPS
National Taxpayers Union
Wyoming Republican Party
South Dakota Republican Party
LEGAL EXPERTS
Chuck Cooper, Former Director, Office of White House Legal Counsel
John Ryder, General Counsel, RNC
David Norcross, fmr. RNC Gen. Counsel Tom Sansonetti, fmr RNC Gen. Counsel Mark Braden, fmr RNC Gen. Counsel
Curt Levy, Pres. Cmtee for Justice
Bill Schweitzer, Baker and Hostetler
PUBLIC OPINION
Polls (one attached) show 2-1 voter support for the Regulation Freedom Amendment
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
The Indiana legislature and the Georgia Senate have passed measures urging
Congress to propose the Regulation Freedom Amendment. Similar measures are under consideration in other states.
The legislatures of IN, GA, FL, and TN have all strengthened their
persuasive power with Congress by passing "faithful delegate" laws that
protect the Constitution against the risk of a "runaway convention" by
empowering the state to replace disobedient delegates.
These laws would give a coalition of 2/3 of the states the option to realistically threaten a Convention strictly limited to an up or down vote on a specific Amendment. Faced with such a coalition Congress has always proposed the Amendment states want to avoid even the possibility that 2/3 of the states might act.
ADVANTAGES OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
1.Does not need the President's signature.
2.Can't be repealed by a future Congress.
3.Almost impossible to challenge as "unconstitutional" on separation of powers or other grounds issues.
4. 34 States could potentially force Congress to propose it the way the states forced Congress to propose the Bill of Rights.
OUR STRATEGY
1. Build endorsements in 2014 for urging Congress to propose the Regulation Freedom Amendment among legislators, and political, business, and grassroots leaders. An endorsement helps end "regulation without representation".
2. Encourage our allies to help pro-Regulation Freedom Amendment legislators in Nov. 2014. Voters back it by 2-1 margins. Every candidate can be asked "Do you support the Regulation Freedom Amendment?"
3. Assemble a bipartisan group of legislative leaders from 30-34 states after the Nov. 2014 election to come to agreement on the final text of the Amendment. Such an agreement would be a "first" in American history. Media,, regulators and Congress would notice.
The 28 states with Republican majorities, pro-energy Democrats in at least 3 states, WV, KY, and the NM Senate, and Republican gains in ME, NH, IA and the NM House could create pro-regulation reform majorities in the necessary 34 states.
4. Work for the adoption of a U.S. House Rule and pledge by a majority of U.S. Senators to recognize and enforce the 10th Amendment right of states to strictly limit the scope of an Article V Convention, thus helping to ensure that states can safely use Article V.
5. Mobilize state legislators in 34 states to action that forces Congress to propose the "Regulation Freedom Amendment" in 2015.
As this movement gathers momentum it could deter many of the worst regulations now being readied behind closed doors for introduction after the 2014 election.
Congress would have every incentive to move legislation to reform the regulatory process.
And as the issue became more prominent, voters would have a choice between candidates who supported making regulators more accountable to elected officials and those who could be characterized as "rubber stamps for federal regulators".
WHAT STATE LEGISLATORS CAN DO:
1. Join more than 100 state legislators in more than 20 states in supporting the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
2. Tell legislative and business allies in your state and in other states that you support urging Congress to propose the Regulation Freedom Amendment to curb the abuses of federal regulators in Washington.
3. Work with us to set up meetings with business and grassroots leaders to educate them about the Regulation Freedom Amendment and how motivated state legislators could persuade Congress to propose it..
4. Consider authoring an op. ed in a publication in your state.
WHAT BUSINESS LEADERS CAN DO:
1. Endorse the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
2. Tell legislative and business allies, especially, in the 34 key states about support for the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
3. Work with us actively to mobilize business and legislative support at the state and local level.
4. Contribute funds or other resources to the Madison Coalition to help promote this effort.
WHAT VOLUNTEERS CAN DO:
1. ENDORSE the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
2. Tell friends about our effort.
3. Consider volunteering a little time to help us recruit more supporters for the Regulation Freedom Amendment.
A team of just 100 people willing to personally contact as few as 1 or 2 grassroots leaders per week will very quickly build a network of more than 1000 grassroots leaders (at least 30 leaders in each of our 34 key states) who have endorsed the Regulation Freedom Amendment. These leaders will be decisive in educating and mobilizing the. legislators we need in our 34 target states about how they can act to force Congress to rein in the abuse of power in Washington.
Thanks for your interest in curbing the abuses of federal regulators in Washington.
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