When Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC) was asked if nullification of the Affordable Care Act was a waste of time, he said, “I think that every opportunity that you can take to remind the federal government that it is a limited powers government and it is limited to the enumerated powers, every opportunity that you have to remind us of that, is a point well taken.”
The Constitution Committee of Spartanburg County hosted Gowdy on Tuesday, January 29, in Sully’s banquet room at Riverfalls Plantation Golf Course for a panel discussion on the United States Constitution and the Rule of Law. The panel consisted of Dr. Christina Jeffrey from Wofford College, Bill Conley from Gaffney High School, and Paul Jansen the host of Let’s Talk Spartanburg.
A major issue that started off the discussion was about the infringements on religious liberties that Obamacare has and how constitutional it is to nullify the Act.
“We had a chance in November to stop it, and we’re going to have a chance in the courts to stop it. If we don’t stop it in the courts, this country has a long history of civil disobedience, which I hope you will exercise, before anyone allows the federal government to tell our Catholic brothers and sisters that you must violate your faith,” said Gowdy.
Gowdy believes that civil disobedience will follow any laws that infringe on the Catholic faith. With ultrasounds assisting in the battle over abortion, Gowdy believes the opposition has switched the conversation to contraception to perpetuate the myth that there is a war on women. Knowing that religious beliefs are very important to Catholics and that they will engage in civil disobedience before following any laws, Gowdy believes that everyone should give them support with their decision.
“And you know what, those of us who are not Catholic ought to be right there beside them because tomorrow it will be something else,” said Gowdy.
When it comes to nullifying the Affordable Care Act, Gowdy isn’t too concerned. He believes that the states should stay united and eventually the Act will implode on itself.
“I think what is going to undo the Affordable Care Act, in all reality, is the fact that Justice (John) Roberts let it go forward. It will collapse on itself. People are finding things in that Act that are stunning now. The question is how much carnage is reaped between now and that time,” said Gowdy.
Believing nullification is too extreme, Gowdy feels that nullification can be achieved in incremental stages. He informed the audience that the best way to correct things in the government is from the bottom up.
“It has some appeal to me that you correct it at the lowest level that you can correct it, and the ballot box would be the lowest level that you can correct it,” said Gowdy. “When it comes to remedies and ways to manifest your frustration, I think as a state we would be better served taking an incremental response. And if that incremental response proves to be unsatisfactory then we can have the final conversation.”
Even though in the recent past Republicans haven’t been too successful at the ballot box, Gowdy believes that we have to remain together as a unified country.
Gowdy said, “I think that everyone just put their hand over their heart and pledged allegiance to the flag, and at least in my version I use the word ‘indivisible.’ What does the word mean?”
A significant crowd turned out to listen to Gowdy creating standing room only within Sully’s. Within the hour that the panel had with Gowdy they were able to ask him a wide range of questions from their own selection and some that they had received from the public that pertained to the Constitution. Gowdy agreed to come back again in the future. A date has yet to be determined.
