David Nilson

Visualize the Debt -- USU Chapter (Utah State University, Logan, UT)

Apr 13, 2011 at 10:56 AM

By David Nilson

We the Young Americans for Liberty–USU Chapter held a Visualize the Debt activity on USU Campus March 31-April 1st.

We at USU received 129 signatures on a brief but poignant petition. These were received in a mere 10 hours of tabling on campus. This was our best event thus far! We only got yelled at once or twice. :)

Our follow-up event will be a Tax Day Speech held on USU Campus, TSC Auditorium, by Constitutional Scholar Scott Bradley, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15th.

The painted boards read "U.S. National Debt ...$14,xxx,xxx,xxx,xxx (whatever the number was) Ugly, isn't it?!" We used ugly old boards and brown paint, so it really was ugly!

We were featured in both the USU Statesman -- the campus newspaper, and the Herald Journal -- the local city newspaper, as well as being film interviewed by an independent reporter. We have not received his final product yet, but will report it to you when we do.

The sunburn we received from these sunny days was well worth it! Thank you, YAL National, for encouraging this event. It was a huge success.

Comments (1)

The Past is Prologue

Jan 13, 2011 at 12:38 PM

By David Nilson

Written by my good friend and constitutional scholar, Scott N. Bradley.

At the beginning of the American Revolution, the great patriot Patrick Henry stated, “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.”

In The Tempest, William Shakespeare (act 1, scene 1) observed “What’s past is prologue,” meaning, the experience of the past is but an introduction to that which is to come.

In many ways, history repeats itself. If we are willing to learn the lessons of history, perhaps the nation may avoid the mistakes of the past.

There is national discussion occurring with prominent people in very public forums suggesting the possible need of a constitution convention to correct the current disaster facing the nation. That discussion is growing into a movement to call a constitution convention to revise the United States Constitution. I fear that this movement will precipitate crises in this nation that will pose a greater risk to the survival of the republic than anything we have experienced since the 1860's.

A Balanced Budget Amendment?

Jan 13, 2011 at 12:07 PM

By David Nilson

Written by my good friend and constitutional scholar, Scott N. Bradley.

Do we need a Balanced Budget Amendment? NO! A constitutionally-sound informed electorate could quickly bring about the conditions which would allow the nation to balance the federal budget and end deficit spending.

Thomas Jefferson wrote: "A nation that expects to be ignorant and free...expects what never was and never will be." The voters must come to understand that it is our responsibility to make certain our representatives honor their oath of office and keep their actions constrained within the scope and bounds established by the Constitution (no, the Constitution does not say "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need"--that was Karl Marx).

In November 2010, using the power of the ballot box, we could have removed ALL of our unfaithful congressmen, and 1/3 of our senators. Two years from now we again have the opportunity to do the same thing, and also cleanse the executive department.

Currently, upwards of 80% of expenditures authorized by congress and enforced by the executive branch (at the pandering insistence of the voters) violate the United States Constitution.

YAL USU Chapter (Utah State University, Logan, UT)

Dec 10, 2010 at 6:22 PM

By David Nilson

YAL USU Chapter has tabled several times this semester, adding numbers of like-minded patriots to their ranks. Students even dressed like patriots and colonial soldiers at tabling and Constitution Day events this year! Check out our pics:

YAL Berlin wall simulation, Nov. 2010