1. Continental Congress – 2009 We The People Foundation Public Meetings Presenter: Bob Schulz – Chm.

2. People Draw a Line in the Sand Signers of the Declaration of Independence recognized that individual Liberties are endowed by “Nature’s God”, the “Creator”. They moved to end Government’s violations of those Liberties. Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the People.

3. The Declaration embodies high-order principles of republican government. Virginia Delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 commented: “The general object was to provide a cure for the evils under which the united States labored; that in tracing these evils, to their origin, every man had found it in the turbulence and follies of democracy.

4. Founder’s objective: To map a course for an enduring republican America that would limit government and maximize individual Freedom and Liberty. They adopted a Constitution that “guarantees to every State in this Union a republican Form of Government. They knew that a democracy, ruled by men not law, would self-destruct.

5. “Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote for themselves largess of the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that Democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy.” A. F. Tyler 1774

6. “Between a balanced republic and a democracy, the difference is like that between order and chaos.” John Marshall “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There never was a democracy that did not commit suicide.” John Adams

7. “At no time, at no place in solemn convention assembled, through no chosen agents, had the American people officially proclaimed the United States to be a democracy. The Constitution did not contain the word or any word lending countenance to it ….” Charles Austin Beard (1874-1948)

8. Founders gave clear expression to the blessings of a republican form of government. “You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe.” John Adams

9. TO JETTISON THE CONSTITUTION IS TO SINK THE REPUBLIC The Constitution has been abandoned by America’s elected and appointed officials. Since 1995, each new Congress and President has arrogantly refused to respond to repeated Petitions for a Remedy to these Grievances. They have answered the People’s Petitions with repeated injuries, playing both to the mob and to those who feed at the public financial trough.

10. America has transitioned from a Republic to a democracy even while the Constitution of the United States of America lies in plain sight. For far too long, the People have endured escalating attacks upon the Rule of Law and the Constitution. Its precious, but fragile guarantees of Individual Rights, Freedom, Liberty and Justice have been compromised – ironically by the very public servants empowered and sworn to preserve and protect them.

11. “a Long Train of Abuses ….” The invasion of Iraq was unconstitutional. Federal Reserve System is unconstitutional. Treasury & Fed bailouts are unconstitutional. A North American Union is unconstitutional. USA PATRIOT ACT is unconstitutional. A developing police state is unconstitutional. A direct, un-apportioned tax on labor is unconstitutional. Federal gun control laws are unconstitutional. Absence of well-regulated state militias is unconstitutional. Failure to faithfully execute the immigration and naturalization laws is unconstitutional.

12. It is unconstitutional for the Government to conduct elections that do not rely on paper ballots that are hand-marked and hand- counted with results announced and posted at each polling place. it is unconstitutional for Mr. Obama to assume the office of President of the United States, no matter the number of people who voted for him.

13. Government officials are obligated to respond to the People’s Petitions for Redress of Grievances/violations of the Constitution. When a long train of abuses, usurpations and refusals to respond to Petitions for Redress of violations of the Constitution evinces a conspiracy to transition our Constitutional Republic to a pure democracy, or to otherwise strip us of our Liberties and reduce us to serfdom under absolute despotism, it is the right of the People to alter the Government, pro-actively, non-violently and with critical mass.

14. And now our Republic faces the spectacle of a president-elect who steadfastly refuses to produce an original birth certificate conclusively establishing his legal status as a “natural born” Citizen as explicitly required by the very Constitution he will take an oath on January 20th to “preserve, protect and defend.”

15. Questions to be Answered 1) Should the People begin a process of withdrawing their resources from those federally elected and appointed officials who have usurped the power of the People until their constitutional Grievances are Redressed and the Constitution is restored? 2) Should the People immediately submit to their Governors and State legislators model statutes for the re-establishment of the constitutionally mandated, well-regulated State Militias?

16. WHAT MUST A FREE PEOPLE DO? The time has come to temporarily set aside the lesser issues of our lives and commit ourselves once again, to the cause of Liberty. “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, No. 1, December 19, 1776 “The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.” Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776

17. Immediate Focus / Questions Regional Meetings – Bob Schulz to speak to potential delegates and sponsors. Delegate Selection – How and Who will select delegates? Fund Raising – What is the process to be employed to support the effort?