BarrHQ.com

Not all Americans are “online.”   And, even those of us who are online, sometimes read the local newspaper.   Many of those people who read the local newspaper read letters to the editor.   Why not write one in support of Bob Barr?

My approach is to wait until there is a relevant issue in the news.   Better yet, the newspaper makes a comment on that issue on the editorial page.   Does Bob Barr have a position on that issue?   Look at the campaign website, www.bobbarr2008.com.  The campaign staff is putting out media releases nearly every day.  Actually, it is often more than one a day!

My local paper, the Charleston Post and Courier, favorably commented on the recent proposal by James Baker and Warren Christopher to create a join committee in Congress to consult about going to war.   The campaign has a media release on that very issue:  Follow the Constitution.

So, I sent the following to the Post and Courier: 

In a recent editorial, The Post and Courier praised the proposal of Republican James Baker and Democrat Warren Christopher to create a joint committee of Congress to consult with the President about going to war.    The editorial states that “many scholars” believe that the existing War Powers Resolution is unconstitutional and that a constitutional amendment may be necessary to settle where the war-making power resides. 

However, the U.S. Constitution is clear.  The power to declare war resides in Congress.   If Congress declares war, then the President, as commander in chief, directs the U.S. military.   Congress, however, must vote to fund the war.  And, Congress must approve the peace treaty that ends the war. 

Unfortunately, the U.S. Constitution interferes with the preferred foreign policies of many Democrats and Republicans, just as it does with their preferred domestic policies.   The dominant approach in the twentieth century was too simply ignore those parts of the U.S. Constitution that elected officials found inconvenient.     If the President is to serve as police chief for the world rather than as commander in chief of the U.S. military, then a U.S. Constitution designed by our founders to make empire building difficult gets in the way.    That Democrat politicians wouldn’t bother to amend the Constitution when it hinders their feel-good foreign or domestic policies is no surprise, but big government Republicans have proven no better.

The solution is clear for the American people.  In the aftermath of a failed war of choice in Iraq, choose political leaders who will respect the Constitution.  Republican primary voters had an opportunity to nominate Congressman Ron Paul–a small government, libertarian Republican.   And in November, former Congressman Bob Barr will be the nominee of the Libertarian Party.  Vote for Bob Barr to show that you want  a President who will obey his oath to defend the U.S. Constitution

Will the Post and Courier publish my letter?  Only time will tell.   But nothing will be published if we don’t try.  Let’s see if we can get Bob Barr more exposure.