Jon,
First of all I wish to congratulate you for getting your article published on the Statesman's website. It was an effective rebuttal of Sanford Levinson's article regarding nullification. Unfortunately, your proposed Federal Action Review Committee contains easily exploitable loopholes. Since this pool will be made up entirely of political appointees, political pressure can be used to prevent the appointment of scholars who will strictly interpret the constitution. This pressure can come in the form of favors, threats to cut off federal funds or even outright blackmail. After passing this defacto screening process, poolees will then be given incentives to produce rulings in favor of the federal government --- rewards such as future federal appointments and judgeships. It will not take long for the feds to infiltrate this organization. In the end, the FARC pool will consist of ambitious, nihilistic intellectuals who are eager to demonstrate that they will "play ball" with the feds. In fact, the FARC will itself become a tool for fed propaganda. It will enable the feds to claim that their laws are constitutional because they were vetted by a group of "constitutional scholars" that are "independent" from the feds. ---Sasan --- In [email protected], Jon Roland <jon.rol...@...> wrote: > > Thank you. Any chance it might make the print edition? > > This is emerging as a hot topic and it provides a good way to build your > readership. > > Note that I was also the LP candidate for Texas Attorney General in 2006 > as well as in 2002. My only opponent for the 2010 nomination is "None of > the Above" (NOTA), per LP rules, so I am likely to be the nominee. The > use of the NOTA rule is worth a print article by itself, as it enables > party activists to prevent outsiders with money from hijacking > nominations, as is regularly done in the parties with primaries. An > example of the curse of unintended consequences. > > See my campaign sites http://jonroland.org and http://jonroland.net for > late developments. > > When is your Editorial Board going to interview candidates? They have > overlooked me in the past. > > On 02/08/2010 12:45 PM, Tony Shuga wrote: > > Dear Mr. Roland, > > > > Thanks for your submission. We've posted it online, linking back and > > forth between your piece and Dr. Levinson's. Yours is at: > > http://www.statesman.com/opinion/nullification-is-a-serious-option-221199.html > > <http://www.statesman.com/opinion/nullification-is-a-serious-option-221199.html> > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Tony Shuga > > Weekend Editor > > tsh...@... > > office 512.912.2947 > > cell 512.745.3536 > > > > > > > > > > Begin forwarded message: > > From: Jon Roland <jon.rol...@...> > > Date: February 7, 2010 11:10:02 PM CST > > To: lett...@... > > Cc: agar...@..., Alberta Phillips > > <aphill...@...>, Sanford Levinson <slevin...@...> > > Subject: Nullification is a serious option > > Reply-To: jon.rol...@... > > > > Attached is an op-ed article in reply to that of Sandy Levinson that > > appeared today. Mine, like his, is exactly 1352 words. > > > > For more on the historical background see > > The Virginia Report, J.W. Randolph, ed. (1850) > > A Disquisition on Government, John C. Calhoun (1851 posthumous) > > > > Also see > > Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Review > > > > > > I am the founder and president of the Constitution Society; author, > > publisher, editor, lecturer, organizer, and sometimes candidate for > > elected office. > > -- Jon > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Constitution Society 2900 W Anderson Ln C-200-322, Austin, TX 78757 > > 512/299-5001 www.constitution.org jon.rol...@... > > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > > > > -- > > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > Constitution Society 2900 W Anderson Ln C-200-322, Austin, TX 78757 > 512/299-5001 www.constitution.org jon.rol...@... > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >
