Oakland County, Michigan Defends U.S. Constitution Against NDAA

It has been said that the key to politics is persistence. In the fight against one of the most draconian laws in history, that persistence has definitely paid off.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) typically funds our national defense, including the military. It has been passed by Congress and signed by the President for 48 years now. While most previous versions have had little to no effect on America’s liberty or freedom, the 2012 NDAA destroys our Bill of Rights.

When the 2012 NDAA was being debated in the U.S. Senate, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said “Shut up! You don’t get a lawyer,” when speaking about those detained under those provisions.

Senator Graham’s statement perfectly summarizes the 2012 NDAA, which has been criticized by such a nonpartisan coalition as the Oathkeepers, ACLU, Patriot Coalition, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), and Cracked Magazine, and allows the President to order anyone, including a U.S. citizen, to be secretly arrested, never to see their family again, and be held indefinitely without due process of law (did we mention assassinated?)

Oakland County, Michigan, home to over 1.5 million people and sitting in the heart of Southeast Michigan, has been described by groups from the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties as one of the best run county governments in the nation. The Oakland County Commissioners proved they have earned that reputation on Thursday.

Two weeks ago, the General Government Committee of the Oakland County Commission held a hearing to consider the resolution in opposition to the indefinite detention provisions of the NDAA. After hearing from People against the NDAA (PANDA) National, PANDA Bloomfield, the Michigan Tenth Amendment Center and Michigan Campaign for Liberty, along with individuals such as Anna Janek, Allegan County Commissioner Bill Sage and Congressional Candidate Don Valoric, the committee moved to vote on the resolution

The resolution passed unanimously out of committee with a 9-0 vote.

On Thursday, PANDA returned to the Oakland County Commission to assist local residents in defending the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Dan Johnson and Dennis Marburger from PANDA, Dave Lonier, Mary MacMaster, Anna Janek, and the Michigan Tenth Amendment Center’s Shane Trejo all gave speeches describing the bipartisan coalition fighting this law, the effectiveness of civilian courts in combating terrorism, and urged the commission to nullify it.

The Commission then moved to vote on the consent agenda, which the resolution was a key part of. Commissioners Jim Runestad and Bill Sage, Congressional Candidates Kerry Bentivolio and Don Valoric, State Representative Tom McMillin, and all their supporters held their breath. The silence was deafening as each vote was counted off…

“Commissioner Gingell? ‘Aye’

Matis? ‘Aye’

Runestad? ‘Aye’

Potts? ‘Aye.’”

In a great victory for liberty, the Liberty Preservation Resolution was approved in a unanimous vote of 24-0.

The Resolution’s clear condemnation of any and all attempts by the General Government branch of our Federal system to kidnap or indefinitely detain Americans without charge or proper trial will now be communicated to our state and national office holders. This struggle is still just beginning and there is much work yet to be done. Nonetheless, this local success will be an important building block for constitutional governance.

Oakland County, which has a reputation for top-notch county government, joins Allegan County (which has the same reputation) as the second county in Michigan to take this principled stand. It is no accident that two counties well-known for good governance would be among the first to defend the rights of the people in Michigan.

The stakes have never been higher. We the People must choose between 1776 America and 1934 Germany. If we lose this fight, the Bill of Rights is destroyed, eight of which are eviscerated, and all rights granted by the Creator, for whose protection governments are supposedly formed, will be lost.

We are determined not to lose this fight.

We will take America back, we will restore our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and we will nullify the NDAA in every city, county, and state across America.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, because ‘truth crushed to earth will rise again.’

For a quick overview of the problems with the 2012 NDAA, please check out the video below: