This is an email received from her group(s):
Views of Dallas Tea Party and Austin Tea Party Patriots on Nullification Efforts
We have been asked quite a few times over the past weeks whether we support the nullification rally that is planned for the steps of the Capitol on January 16th. We fully support state sovereignty as set forth in the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and we clearly encourage a gathering of patriots to discuss states rights issues and demand that our elected servants pursue all appropriate avenues against the continual overreach by the federal government of its Constitutional bounds. We have some concerns, however, as to whether nullification is the most effective current method of fighting against federal overreach.
We understand that state nullification has had recent successes, most notably in the area of Real ID. We note that the present nullification efforts are centered upon the government takeover of healthcare, which would be a far more pervasive and tax-laden initiative than Real ID and, thus, in our view much more difficult to dislodge. Moreover, the healthcare bills have not been finalized yet, so there is nothing on the books to nullify.
We really like the January 5 letter from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott [see attachment] that assails the likely unconstitutionality of the healthcare bills. We believe his complaints will be very effective and will likely cause changes in the way the final bills play out. We especially appreciate his references to Supreme Court case law that over the years has clouded the framers’ intentions of the Constitution itself.
It is the years of highly questionable opinions by the Supreme Court that have rendered the current view of the Constitution only a mere specter of the framers’ vision. We believe that the nullification efforts of the late 18th and early 19th centuries would not find much support in today’s courts.
So, in summary, we see the appeal of nullification but we do not believe it will prove to be the most effective remedy to what ails us. We like the approach of General Abbott and the approach of Constitutional proponents like Prof. Larry Barnett of Georgetown, who has proposed a number of Constitutional amendments that would clear out the bad case law and clearly return real power to the states.
Let’s not put unwarranted pressure on ourselves or on Governor Perry to call a special session of the Texas Legislature until we can better sort out, and strengthen, our options. We continue to want what’s best for our state and country and the people in it.
Judy Holloway
Austin Tea Party Patriots
Common Sense Texans
512-585-7673
I would also encourage you to read the comments under the original Op-Ed written by Mr. Stacy before you jump in your car and rally in Austin this weekend. There were many thought provoking arguments made in those comments.