New: Promote independence.
Old: Promote laws to make it easier for third party candidates to succeed.
Several voting districts throughout the United States require a clear majority for victory. In other words, if there are three candidates, and no one achieves 50%, then the top two candidates compete in a run off. This would help prevent two similar candidates, either of which the majority of the voters would prefer over a third candidate, from causing the defeat of each other. In this way, run off could make it easier for a strong third party to achieve success. This would weaken the two-party oligarchy, making politicians even more accountable to the citizens.
New: Defend the sanctity of life.
Old: Ban the execution of children without due process.
The Declaration of Independence affirms the right to life is an unalienable right endowed by our Creator. The 9th Amendment affirms the enumeration of certain rights should not be construed to deny others. In this spirit, The 9th Amendment and Declaration of Independence guarantee a child's right to life. As an unalienable right, violation of the right to life has greater consequences than the right to privacy, which was argued in Roe versus Wade. Furthermore, the 5th Amendment declares the government can't deny a person a right to life without due process, and the 14th Amendment declares that no state can deny a person a right to life without due process.
New: Resist national socialism and promote accountability.
Resist national socialism and promote government accountability to the citizens.
End most government social programs. Citizens can more effectively hold charities and non-government social entities accountable, than a socialist government. Policing fraud in government programs is expensive and ineffective. A government program can not be defrauded if it does not exist.
The constitutionality of existing national socialist programs such as social security, medicare, and unemployment insurance should be questioned. Tennessee could return as much as 18% to our paychecks by withdrawing from federal mandates. Individuals should reserve the right to withdraw from federal or state socialist programs.
There is a push to bring state government into pre-Kindergarten education. With taxes as high as they are, education as broken as it is, and education already consuming 44% of the state's budget, the state should not expand education any further.
As established by the Constitution, the role of the federal government is, "...establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity...". This should also be the role of the state government to the communities. The state should defend communities from forces, which deny the constitutional will of the voters.
New: Protect state sovereignty.
Old: Protect the sovereignty of the state from federal government as guaranteed by the 10th Amendment.
The right to bear arms is essential to secure the unalienable rights of life and liberty. Thus, arms manufactured and sold within the borders of Tennessee should not be subject to Federal regulation.
A secure supply of food and water is the most universal need for good health. All water collected and food grown and sold within the borders of Tennessee should not be subject to Federal regulation.
The State of Tennessee shall manage it's own budget without interference of Federal Mandates.
Enumeration of the state's rights to regulate a budget, arms, and food within it's borders shall not be construed to deny the state of other rights.
New: Protect citizens from foreign governments.
Old: Protect the independence of the citizens from foreign governments.
Foreign courts do not have jurisdiction over the state of Tennessee or the citizens of the state of Tennessee, while they remain within its borders, as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.
New: Defend individual liberty.
Old: Defend individual liberty.
People are tired of the government constantly telling them how to live their lives.
However important vaccines are, no one should be forced to be vaccinated or forced to submit to any medical procedure he does not wish to be subjected to, even if the procedure would save his life.
Most people who drink, smoke, or do drugs are going to consume as much as they wish regardless of taxes or regulation. Taxes mean less money for clothes, rent, food, and education for both the addict and his family. Over taxation and complex regulation moves commerce out of legitimate channels into a black market. The church should be more active in dealing with addiction than government.
People who drive or operate other potentially dangerous machinery while under the influence of alcohol and drugs infringe on the safety of others. They should be held more accountable for their actions than they are today.
Truancy laws are an infringement of the 5th and 14th amendments. Education should be a privelege and not an entitlement and especially not a mandate. Children who do not want to be in school and have parents who do not want them in school disrupt class, consume resources, and demoralize staff who tries to force them into the education system. Truancy laws should be abolished.
New: Defend the rights of parents.
Old: Defend rights of parents.
Parents have a biblical obligation to discipline their children. Abuse is not protected. Discipline is. Parents can spank their children or even wash their mouth out with soap or require them to work in the home.
Children belong with their parents. Only exceptional cases of abuse should a child be removed from his parents.
New: Defend the 2nd Amendment.
Old: No constitutionally protected right should require a license or a fee.
No where in the Constitution is it written, a right is protected by the Constitution, provided you obtain permission from the government or pay a fee. Below are the disturbing trends you should be concerned about.
In most cases, you must obtain a license and pay a fee in order to exercise your right to bear arms as protected by the 2nd Amendment. Regardless of a constitutional protection, life is an unalienable right. You don't even need the Constitution to tell you, you can defend yourself and your family. This is a very slippery slope.
Some municipalities are demanding court fees for challenging traffic tickets and ordinance violations. These fees may not even be refundable if you are found innocent. This seems as though the municipality is requiring a fee to exercise the 5th Amendment protection from being denied property without due process or 7th Amendment right to a trial by jury for civil cases.
There are cases now, requiring major use permits for peaceful religious gatherings in homes. This is licensing for a fee, both the freedom to exercise religion and right to peaceful assembly as protected by the 1st Amendment.
The IRS can revoke tax exempt status for churches to preach about politics. Freedom of speech as protected by the 1st Amendment should not be denied by coercion or any other means.
New: Fight activist judges and lawyers.
Old: Prevent abuse of courts.
The courts should not be used as a means to silence criticism. Freedom of expression shall not be used as a means to stifle debate. This is especially true in religious matters.
Frivolous lawsuits are equivalent is using the courts as a tool for criminal extortion.
No resources of the state will be used as instruments for policing thoughts.
New: Promote a strong private economy.
Old: Promote a strong private economy.
Keep jobs in Tennessee. The "Pick Tennessee Products" program should be expanded or replicated beyond agriculture.
Focus should be returned to learning trades as part of the education process.
New: Defend the 1st Amendment.
Old: Defend the 1st Amendment rights of Christians.
Moses is engraved, sitting in judgment with The Ten Commandments, on the facade of The Supreme Court of The United States. So, shall The Ten Commandments added to, returned to, or remain on the court house of any community which wishes them to be there.
The teaching of evolution and repression of the teaching of creation in schools is a prohibition of the free exercise of religion by indoctrination into a mythological philosophy. The teaching of evolution in state funded schools should be prohibited.
Documents important to the founding of our nation and state should be taught in school without altering or omitting text. This includes, but is not limited to, The Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution, Articles of Confederation, Tennessee State Constitution, Federalist Papers, and Anti-Federalist Papers.
The free exercise of prayer and peaceable assembly, as guaranteed by The 1st Amendment, shall not be denied to a student or any other citizen of The State of Tennessee.
New: Proclaim English is the language of Tennessee.
Old: Declare English the official language of Tennessee.
The primary intent of this is, to reinforce a vital element of the cultural heritage of the people of Tennessee. Furthermore, there is the potential of increased expenses due to creating multi-lingual documents and signs. Criminals should not be exonerated by a technicality, because an officer did not read Miranda rights in the native language of the criminal. Furthermore, if The Constitution is taught in schools, then there would be no excuse for not knowing the 5th Amendment.
New: Expose the defects of the 16th and 17th Amendments.
Old: Expose the defects of the 16th and 17th Amendments.
No two amendments have done more to erode the 10th Amendment and thus other rights than the 16th and 17th amendments. I want to call for an article V convention to repeal these amendments. Obviously, I'd eventually need the co-operation of the legislature, but this can start with one or more governors bringing this issue into the national spotlight.
The 16th Amendment created a direct link between the federal government and the individual, eroding state sovereignty, by making the states dependent on federal funds rather than the federal government dependent on state funds.
The House of Representatives already represents individual interests. The Senate originally represented state interests. When the 17th Amendment passed, the states ceased having representation in Congress.
