Alliance For Self-Governance: Political Director
I’m pleased to announce that I’ve accepted a new full time position! I’m the Political Director for the Alliance for Self-Governance (ASG) based in Houston. ASG is a new, nationally focused organization, and given its objective, my prior liberty oriented political work fits perfectly. A brief note about ASG and our goals:
“The Alliance for Self-Governance (ASG) is not just another lobbying group. None of our leaders are professional politicians, and we don’t seek to advance any partisan political agenda. We accept no funding from the Republican or Democratic parties.
Our objective is to reverse the accumulation of power in Washington, D.C. and to restore that power to the people, where it rightfully belongs. The way to maintain “good and safe government,” Thomas Jefferson said, “is not to trust it to one, but to divide it among the many.”
I’m excited about the prospects of working to devolve power away from the political class and back to the people. If you aren’t familiar with an innovate way to do so, the concept of interstate compacts, I suggest you learn more about them and their infinitely positive potential. For a fantastic perspective on the matter, check out this great piece by Ted Cruz and Mario Loyola from the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The health care compact, the first of many that will be no doubt be on the table in the future, passed in Texas this past legislative session, and it also has already seen success in Georgia, Oklahoma and Missouri.
While interstate compacts are part of the agenda ASG is looking to support, our big project moving into 2012 is The Campaign for Primary Accountability. As many of my fellow activists have learned and more need to be made aware of, the most effective way to force positive change in government is to challenge incumbents in primaries. Part of the reason the system is broken is that politicians simply aren’t held accountable, and incumbents in both parties are rarely challenged. This reinforces their focus on beltway lobbyists and further centralizing government rather than working for the people.
A note about The Campaign for Primary Accountability:
“In November 2010, the approval rating for Congress was at 17% (it is now at 9%). That same month, no less than 86% of congressional incumbents were re-elected. How is it possible that politicians who are viewed so unfavorably continue to return to office?
Here’s how: The overwhelming majority of districts are one-party districts, meaning either the Republican or Democratic party enjoys an overwhelming advantage in registered voters. Fully 77% of House districts have not changed party hands since 2002. Most incumbents face no primary challenge. In 2010, 62% of incumbent members of the U.S. House of Representatives had no primary opposition.
The outcome of the November general elections is really determined during the primary elections – and by only the 10% of the American electorate that votes in primaries. In 2010, 396 incumbents ran for re-election. Only four were defeated by primary challengers; 63% ran unopposed. Because incumbents are so easily re-elected, they are not held accountable for their actions.”
This needs to change, and ASG wants to work with activists across the spectrum to make sure that politicians, regardless of ideology, feel the pressure. DC politicians need to know that We the People are watching and will take the action necessary via primary campaigns to restore our nation’s prosperity and elect accountable statesmen.
From my perspective, one of the greatest primary success stories was Senator Mike Lee’s challenge to 18-year incumbent Bob Bennett in Utah last year. Lee, who has turned out to be a great Senator in my opinion, beat Bennett in a three way primary. However, the great thing about this project is that it’s bipartisan. While I personally prefer electing liberty Republicans, ASG has people from all sides of the aisle on staff, and will be building field teams accordingly. I’d love to see liberals organize to take down unaccountable incumbents who ignore their philosophy just as much as I’d like to rid of establishment Republicans. After all, we’re all in this together. 
That’s precisely why I’m excited that we’ll be actively working to challenge long-term, unaccountable Congressmen from both parties. The reality is that many districts inevitably go either R or D, and to affect change, turning engaged voters out in primaries is key. I hope you’ll sign up at the bottom of the page to stay in the loop at Alliance4SelfGovernance.org.
We’ll need motivated volunteers ready to take back our government from the political class that exists to serve itself rather than us. I hope you’ll join me and countless others as the self-governance movement gets off the ground. I truly believe that the reason we have the government we do at this juncture is because the American people fell asleep at the wheel. But lately, many have awakened. According to Rasmussen, only 15% of Americans think we’re on the right track. That’s staggering, and I truly believe that the Campaign for Primary Accountability and interstate compacts can make a positive difference for this nation. I know I’m excited about the prospects – and you should be too!