Posted by Matt Collins on 07/13/09 2:16 PM Last updated 07/16/09 12:22 AM   [Newer: ATF to TN: Firearms Freedom Law Is Invalid] [Older: Rand Paul mentions Nashville GOP in latest video]

DISCLAIMER:
Nothing I communicate is to be considered an official statement representative of any organization I belong to or am an officer of, including the Campaign for Liberty, Republican Liberty Caucus, WTN, Liberty on the Rocks, America's Future Foundation, The Tennessee Liberty Alliance, Rand Paul for Senate, or the Davidson County (Nashville) Republican Party. My opinions are my own.

Why Rep. Wamp and Mayor Haslam can NOT be Governor of TN!
(or who I'm NOT supporting for TN Governor)

The Davidson County (Nashville) Republican Party held our annual summer picnic Saturday (7/11); all of the Republican gubernatorial candidates were present. After speaking with each candidate individually I am still unsure who I am going to support, however there are definitely two of the candidates who have not only disqualified themselves, but should never hold and elected office again!

I'll start with Bill Haslam the Mayor of Knoxville.

In case you are unaware Mayor Haslam joined NYC Mayor Bloomberg's anti-gun coalition in an effort to curb crime in Knoxville. However Mayor Haslam then says that upon joining the coalition the leadership took a different direction and he withdrew from the organization. Fair enough and at the DCRP picnic Saturday 2nd Vice Chair Dan Davis and myself asked him about this issue. I wanted to hear the straight scoop directly from him in order to give him a chance to explain his actions before I decided.

Mayor Haslam discussed the story as I explained and he said his intention in the entire situation was simply to "stop the wrong people from having guns".

I asked him "what kind of people are you referring to that you say shouldn't have guns?"
And he responded with "felons, criminals, and those without a permit".

Then I asked "so you believe we need a permit or permission to exercise a right guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment?"
Mayor Haslam said "well, for handguns yes"

That told me everything I needed to know; I thanked him for his time then I ended the conversation and Dan and I walked away.

What Mayor Haslam does not understand is that ONE DOES NOT NEED A PERMIT TO EXERCISE A RIGHT!!!

We have a right to bear arms that both the US and TN Constitutions guarantee shall not be infringed. Do we need a permit for free speech? Do we need a permit to print a newspaper? Do we need a permit to have a trial by jury? Do we need a permit to birth children? NO, of course not. Why? Because these activities are fundamental individual RIGHTS which cannot be taken away without due process (obviously those convicted of violent crimes should be denied their right to posses firearms). We do not need permission from the government to exercise our rights. If we have to ask permission, then it isn't a right, it's a privilege! Rights and privileges are opposites.

The idea that our right to self-defense, our right to bear arms, and that our right to buy/sell/own personal property is first contingent upon a governmental grant of approval is insulting to the very ideals of freedom on which the American Republic was founded. I suggest Mayor Haslam read the US and TN Constitutions because ignorance of both that magnitude and of that authoritarian mindset is dangerous to individual rights and to a free society. He is obviously unfit to govern if he cannot understand the simple and basic difference between rights and privileges.

(Upon edit apparently I am not the only one who takes issue with Mayor Haslam in this regard)

Continuing on to the other gubernatorial candidate, Zach Wamp, the US Congressman from Tennessee's 3rd District.

Representative Wamp voted for the October '09 bailout. Representative Wamp calls himself a conservative but one has to ask what is conservative about spending billions of nonexistent dollars, increasing the size/scope of the federal government, and voting against the US Constitution? As an aside it is worth noting that the bailout Representative Wamp voted for also included an audit of carbon emissions which laid the foundation for the coming cap-and-trade / carbon tax; next time you see him be sure to thank him for that.

All US Congressmen upon being seated are administered an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States". Nowhere in Article 1 Section 8 of the US Constitution (the part that lists Congressional power) is the federal government given the authority to bail out banks, businesses, or mortgages. By voting for and supporting the bailout Congressman Wamp clearly violated his oath to support and defend the US Constitution. On those grounds alone he should be removed from office immediately, and personally I would like to see him, along with most of the rest of the members of Congress, either in jail or forced to perform restitution to those of us who are footing the bill for his unconstitutional action.

When one is entrusted with and given the awesome power to make laws governing the life and property of others, the abuse (or negligence) of that power is not only criminal, but amoral; Merriam-Webster's Dictionary labels an individual "who betrays another's trust or who is false to an obligation or duty" as a traitor. Does that denotative description fit Representative Wamp's blatant violation of his oath?

Several DCRP officers and myself approached him near the conclusion of the Picnic because we wanted to discuss HR1207 (Audit the Federal Reserve Act). Representative Wamp extended his hand to me to shake it and I absolutely refused; I am not interested in being friendly towards those who violate the Constitution. To be fair he said that he was very supportive of HR1207 and that "we ought to do more than just audit the Fed....it's the cause of a lot of our problems". While I agree with the Congressman on that specific issue I honestly wanted to vocalize that the other cause of our problems were big-government Republicans acting like big-government Democrats such as himself. However in the spirit of, at minimum, being cordial, I held my tongue. But prior to walking away I did thank him for and told him I appreciated his support on HR1207. I still did not shake his hand.

Regardless of his support for a call of transparency in Auditing the Fed, the fact of the matter is that he broke the trust of the People of the United States by clearly violating his oath to uphold the US Constitution. One or multiple positive actions do not negate the fundamental premise of breaking the highest law in the land, usurping more power to the federal government, and going against one's sworn oath. Even though Representative Wamp has called his vote for the bailout "a mistake" how can the voters continue to trust him after such a grossly grievous err in judgment especially considering the significance of the consequences resulting from his action?

At this point we have a candidate who has violated his oath, and another who is of the authoritarian mindset that the People need permission from the government before exercising their individual and guaranteed rights. I have 3 more candidates in the TN gubernatorial race to investigate before I decide who to support, hopefully at least 1 of the 3 will not disappoint me because the thought of voting for "none of the above" in the upcoming primary is extremely depressing-- I refuse to vote for anyone who is going to increase government, or decrease liberty.

In conclusion it is prudent to ask if we attain smaller, more limited-government, more liberty, more personal freedoms, and less taxes by continuing to vote for elected officials that have broken our trust and ignore the Constitution? Should we reward politicians who take our money, our property, and our freedoms by elevating them to higher office? Should we continue to vote for more of the same? Upon a review of history, I think not. If the Republican Party, and ultimately the country, is going to restrain its government, we must vote for those who adhere to principles, not compromise them.

Matt Collins
"principle before politics"
Vice Chair Davidson County Republican Party
Vice Chair Republican Liberty Caucus of TN
Coordinator Davidson County Campaign for Liberty
Talk Radio Producer 99.7 WTN Nashville
Member America's Future Foundation
Member Liberty on the Rocks

Posted 07/21/09 1:25 PM brentstott Red Bank, TN

Matt, I understand your frustrations with Rep. Wamp. Believe me, I'm just as upset with his voting record as you are, but I think your behavior was out of line. How do you think your refusing a simple handshake helped CFL? You may think you were standing up for our beliefs, but I think you embarrassed a group that is already fighting an uphill battle. Our actions are already heavily scrutinized because we're considered "crazy extremists"... let's not make it any harder for ourselves. I have e-mailed Rep. Wamp to apologize for the way you treated him. I hope you understand that you are a real asset to the Campaign for Liberty and I am proud to be working with you. Brent S. Chattanooga, TN

Posted 07/21/09 3:44 PM Matt Collins Antioch, TN

Here is the response to an attack by a national and local reporter on myself, Ron Paul, and the liberty movement: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=22231

Posted 07/21/09 6:44 PM AuthenticAuthor Canutillo, TX

Quoted Kleinheider: "Wamp apparently had committed the cardinal sin of voting for one of the bailouts of the country's financial institutions back in October. For that, he was refused the courtesy civilized men commonly afford strangers. "Mind you this is not a petulant child or even a college kid who refused the Congressman's handshake but a 27-year-old man — a man who purportedly wants to serve 'the cause of liberty.' " You see, Kleinheider suffers from dementia. In his world, "civilized" means "spiritless" and "liberty" means slavery. Next he'll call out how you didn't kiss Wamp's ring. Contrary to what others may think Matt, you did exactly the civilized thing; you made it clear that you did not want to have anything to do with the likes of Wamp. Wamp and his kind, on the other hand, has yet to do the same thing with regards to everyone else through his policies. Kissing up to the establishment is not what C4L is about. If Wamp and his supporters are going to cry bloody murder for something as simple as a refusal to shake hands, then they don't care about your reasons and, subsequently, the cause for individual respect.

Posted 07/21/09 6:50 PM AuthenticAuthor Canutillo, TX

From Webster.com: Main Entry: civilized Function: adjective Date: 1611 : characteristic of a state of civilization <civilized society> ; especially : characterized by taste, refinement, or RESTRAINT

Posted 07/21/09 11:04 PM Matt Collins Antioch, TN

Brent - Thanks for your words. But it is Representative Wamp who should be apologizing to us, not the other way around. And would you shake the hand of someone who just robbed you?

Posted 12/17/09 05:47 AM danielstwin corryton, TN

I wouldnt shake his hand either. It has to be the estrigen in the water that makes people think that we have to politicaly correct. This is why i dont run for office cause i grew up in the country and didnt get my dose of this laced water, I am about kicking someones ass for being tyrrant.well matt you handled it as good as a man with any cahonas could,,,, Daniel OH THE MOST IMPORTANT PART I WILL BE VOTEING FOR (RON RAMSEY).