Rep. Broun: Second Amendment ‘Protects All the Rest of Our Liberty’

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA-10) visited Dacula City Hall Tuesday evening for a town hall meeting attended by approximately 65 people. The meeting, held in a question and answer format, covered a wide range of topics, chief among them the Second Amendment.

“The Second Amendment is what protects all the rest of our liberty. It is critical that we maintain private ownership of firearms,” Broun said.

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Identifying himself as an original intent constitutionalist, Broun said it was hunting rights and gun owners’ rights that launched his political activism.

“It got me to study the Constitution and what our founding fathers intended for not only the Second Amendment, but for the whole of the Constitution of the United States,” he said.

Broun, chairman of Congress’ Second Amendment Task Force, described the issue as being “all about liberty.”

“The reason behind the Second Amendment and the original intent was to protect our liberty -- for us to be able to protect our lives and our property, but also to protect ourselves from being overrun by our own government,” Broun said.

Broun explained that one of the problems with Washington is that not enough people in Congress understand the original intent of the Constitution.

“In Hosea 4:6, God says ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.’ And we have a tremendous lack of knowledge all across this country about the foundational principles that our nation was established upon,” Broun said. “Those principles are being eroded tremendously and it’s because members of both parties don’t understand the Constitution.”

The issue of Constitutionality, he added, is one of his four tests in assessing legislation and determining how to vote.

“There are four questions I ask myself about all legislation,” he explained. “The first question is, ‘Is it right?’ And by that, I mean does it fit the Judeo-Christian Biblical principles that this nation was founded on. The second question is, ‘Is it Constitutional according to original intent -- what our founding fathers meant government to be?’ Third, do we need it and fourth, can we afford it?”

Broun said if all four are yes, he will vote yes.

During the hour-long town hall meeting, Broun also took more than one question about border security, an issue Broun described as “absolutely critical.”

Calling it a national security issue, Broun said it is important the government allocate funds to address the issue before dealing with immigration reform.

“We’ve got to secure the border first and foremost before we do anything. We must make English the official language of America. And we have to enforce the law,” he said.

Another issue of concern for those in attendance at the Feb. 19 town hall meeting was the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Broun explained his Patient Option Act would fully repeal the law commonly referred to as Obamacare.

“Obamacare is going to be a destroyer,” he said.

According to Broun, individual health care costs will go up and budgets at all levels will be adversely affected. 

"It's going to destroy your budget. It's going to destroy the states' budget and it's going to destroy the federal budget," he said.

In addition to repealing Obamacare, Broun also expressed support for repealing the 17th Amendment, eliminating the Department of Education, eliminating the Environmental Protection Agency and abolishing the Federal Reserve.

In closing, Broun said he was fighting for liberty and getting power back into the hands of the states and the people. He also warned about dire consequences should Congress not take positive steps to address the country’s financial situation.

“If we don’t stop this irresponsible spending that both parties have been doing, we’re going to have total financial meltdown as a nation. We’re heading to an economic collapse. We’re going to be just like Greece,” he said.

Broun, who recently announced his intent to seek the senate seat being vacated by Saxby Chambliss encouraged citizens to get involved and invited those in attendance to return to during which representatives from his office will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about the services Broun’s office provides.

Broun’s 10th District encompasses southern Clarke County, all of Oconee, Barrow and Walton, and part of Gwinnett including Dacula.

You might also be interested in reading:

• Write-in Campaign Launched Against Rep. Paul Broun
• Rep. Paul Broun Votes Against Fiscal Cliff Deal
• Broun’s Staff to Host Constituent Service Day in Dacula on Jan. 23
• Rep. Broun's Wife Hints at a Possible Senate Run for Her Husband
• Rep. Broun Will Seek to Fill Chambliss' Seat in the U.S. Senate in 2014