A rainy April day in downtown Lexington, Ky. changed the trajectory of my life.
It was 2009, and I stood with several hundred people at one of the early Tax-Day protests that ultimately sparked the “Tea Party” movement. I don’t really remember specifics, although I do recall some fiery speeches and some pretty clever signs.
But I do vividly remember looking out over that crowd and thinking, “Wow, this is all well and good, but I need to DO something. Standing in the rain holding a sign just isn’t going to get it.”
I went home that afternoon and I simply couldn’t escape this deepening sense that it was imperative that I get personally involved in the political system. I didn’t want my kids or grandkids to ask me one day, “Daddy, what did you do when America was in the middle of its collapse?” and find that the only answer I had was “I stood in a park and then I voted.”
That day put me on a path that ultimately led me to the Tenth Amendment Center. I started out as the state chapter coordinator in Kentucky and eventually moved on to take the role of national communications director.
I’m thrilled to say, I found a place that DOES something and an organization that affords me the opportunity to DO stuff.
Today marks the Tenth Amendment Center’s seventh anniversary and I am simply awed at how far the organization has come in the three years I’ve been part of it. When I first started working for the TAC, we were pushing a few Tenth Amendment resolutions and trying to convince newspaper reporters we weren’t a bunch of racists. Today, as the AP recently reported “about four-fifths of the states now have enacted local laws that directly reject or ignore federal laws on marijuana use, gun control, health insurance requirements and identification standards for driver’s licenses.”
Nullification has entered mainstream political discussion. And the Tenth Amendment Center can proudly take a large amount of credit for making that happen.
At the TAC we DO stuff. And we equip others to DO stuff too. The organization not only provides tools to educate, it equips Americans to activate. From legislative tracking to action alerts, the TAC plays an integral role in getting nullification legislation not only introduced, but passed. Slowly but surely, we are putting a giant monkey-wrench in the federal governments exercise of unauthorized power.
All this becomes even more amazing when you consider the TAC’s humble beginnings. Seven years ago, Michael Boldin had the foresight to purchase the tenthamendmentcenter.com domain name. As he tells it, he just hoped to reach a few people and make them aware of federal abuses of power. From that vision, the website grew and has since hosted millions of visitors. From a living room blog, a national organization sprung up and grew, becoming a political force…so much so that we’ve endured attacks from Rachel Maddow, the Washington Post, Southern Poverty Law Center and the Wall Street Journal. We must be DOING something right!
Personally, I’ve found exactly what I sought: an avenue to DO something. The Tenth Amendment Center afforded me the opportunity to speak to thousands of people, write two books and actually see my efforts rewarded with tangible success at the state and local level.
Today, I celebrate the birth of the TAC. I am proud to be part of this organization. And I’m excited about the future. Over the next months, we will roll out some things with will make it possible to DO even more.
If you are looking for a place to get involved for the cause of liberty, I can tell you from personal experience, you won’t be disappointed if you plug in to the Tenth Amendment Center. We have plenty to DO and we need your help.
Consider volunteering. You can find ways to get involved HERE. And if you are looking for an organization to support financially, I can assure you, no organization DOES more with less. Click HERE to become a member or HERE to make a donation.
Happy Birthday to you Tenth Amendment Center! Happy Birthday to you!
And many more!