Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140
MS 149
Committee to Protect the Constitution
Records, 1975-1980, n.d.
Descriptive summary
| creator: | Committee to Protect the Constitution |
| title: | Records |
| dates: | 1975-1980, n.d. |
| extent: | 2.1 linear ft. (5 document boxes) |
| collection number: | MS 149 |
| repository: | Special Collections Department, Iowa State University. |
Administrative information
| access: | Open for research |
| publication rights: | Consult Head, Special Collections Department |
| preferred citation: | Committee to Protect the Constitution Records, MS 149, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library. |
Historical note
The Committee to Protect the Constitution was formed in Iowa as a non-partisan organization in August 1980. Its goal was to defeat a November 4, 1980 ballot proposal to hold a convention to revise the Iowa Constitution in order to add the Stanley amendment which would limit income tax increases. The Committee opposed the Stanley amendment, which they claimed was more extreme than other tax limitation laws. Dave Stanley, the amendment's creator, proposed a strict limitation on the increase of taxes (ninety percent of the rate of personal income increases). The Committee argued that not allowing government income to rise as quickly as personal income was unnecessary They considered the proposed amendment unnecessary because they believed the existing constitution sufficient and they were concerned that an additional amendment also added the risk that provisions would be added to the constitution which would have no place in it. Although the purpose of the proposed convention was to place limits on taxation and government spending, the Committee did not have an official position on this matter. During its campaign, the Committee worked with other Iowa organizations such as the Iowa Taxpayer's Association, Iowans for Tax Relief, and the League of Women Voters. |
Collection description
The collection (1975-1980, n.d.) contains background papers, correspondence, news clippings, media materials (including a list of the Committee's radio spots), speeches given by various Committee members, surveys, articles and videotapes. There are several articles and papers written by members of the committee about the Stanley amendment. Other organization materials include informational pamphlets, brochures, and advertisements. |
Container list
Box |
Folder |
Title |
Dates |
1 |
1 |
Bob Anderson correspondence and memorandums |
1979-1980 |
1 |
2 |
Background papers 1-4 |
n.d. |
1 |
3 |
Campaign documents: campaign plan, calendar, coordinator letter, solicitation letter, general media program, radio buys, coordinator list, Board of Directors, personnel directory |
1980 |
1 |
4 |
Campaign documents: outline of approaches and strategies |
1980 ca. |
1 |
5 |
Campaign documents: includes Iowa Federation of Labor, People United for Rural Education, Exploring the New Far Right, The Quarterly Journal of Economics (August 1980) table of contents |
1980 ca. |
1 |
6 |
Campaign correspondence, proposed media budget, Board of Directors |
1980 |
1 |
7 |
Article by Bob Case, correspondence concerning article |
1980 |
1 |
8 |
Documents regarding the Stanley tax packet |
1980 |
1 |
9 |
Committee correspondence |
1980 |
1 |
10 |
Anti-convention documents |
n.d. |
1 |
11 |
Iowa Constitutional Convention history and background |
1980 |
1 |
12 |
Constitutional Convention handout |
n.d. |
1 |
13 |
Newspaper clippings on constitutional issues |
1980 |
1 |
14 |
Committee correspondence |
1980 |
1 |
15 |
Ten Good Reason to Oppose a Constitutional Convention (first draft); papers and correspondence |
1980 ca., |
1 |
16 |
Committee to Protect the Constitution: first press release |
1980 |
1 |
17 |
Steven Gold biographical information |
n.d. |
1 |
18 |
Steven Gold correspondence |
1979-1980 |
1 |
19 |
Tax Limitation Amendment information packet |
n.d. |
1 |
20 |
Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) documents: includes program and personnel surveys, teacher supply and demand papers, newspapers |
1975- 1980, ca. |
1 |
21 |
Iowa State Education Association: personnel lists |
n.d. |
1 |
22 |
Iowa State Education Association: survey results |
n.d. |
1 |
23 |
Iowa Tax Reform Action Coalition (ITRAC) statements, member correspondence, and committee lists |
1979-1980 |
1 |
24 |
Iowa Taxpayers Association: speech |
1980 |
1 |
25 |
Iowans for Tax Relief: history, information packet, notes |
1979-1980 |
1 |
26 |
Iowans for Tax Relief: biographical information, membership registration cards, press releases |
1978-1980 |
2 |
1 |
League of Women Voters: press release, correspondence, statement, list of Constitutional Convention chairs |
1980 |
2 |
2 |
League of Women Voters: Stanley's Amendment |
1980 |
2 |
3 |
Letters to the Editor: Constitutional Convention |
1980 |
2 |
4 |
Campaign material: includes brochures, bulletins, and correspondence |
1980, n.d. |
2 |
5 |
Media correspondence |
1980 |
2 |
6 |
Campaign material, correspondence, and photographs including police directing traffic, a trash can, and a firefighter (6- 5x3.5 b/w photographs) |
1980 |
2 |
7 |
Media correspondence, radio advertisements |
1980 |
2 |
8 |
Correspondence |
1980 |
2 |
9 |
Correspondence: Art Neu |
1980 |
2 |
10 |
News release: Iowans for Tax Relief, Committee to Protect the Constitution |
1980 |
3 |
1-7 |
Newspaper clippings on constitutional issues |
1980 |
4 |
1-9 |
Newspaper clippings on constitutional issues |
1980 |
5 |
1 |
Position papers, statements |
1980 |
5 |
2 |
Papers on the proposed Stanley Amendment |
1980 |
5 |
3 |
Speeches, correspondence |
1980 |
5 |
4 |
Newspaper article |
1980 |
5 |
5 |
Iowa State Education Association: newsclippings, correspondence, statement, news releases, speeches |
1980, n.d. |
5 |
6 |
Dave Stanley correspondence |
1979-1980 |
5 |
7 |
Statement of Principles |
n.d. |
5 |
8 |
Statistical file: survey questions, payroll and revenue statistics for the state of Iowa, voting record on Constitutional Convention, Iowa Legislative Service Bureau memorandum, newsclippings |
1980, n.d. |
5 |
9 |
Committee to Protect the Constitution: strategy papers |
1980, n.d. |
5 |
10 |
Survey documents: includes list of survey questions for pro-constitutional convention and anti-constitutional convention, a list of the most influential voting areas, and a survey overview |
1980 |
5 |
11 |
Taxpayer's Rights Amendment Text |
1979 |
5 |
12 |
Committee to Protect the Constitution: anti-constitutional convention tapes |
n.d. |
5 |
13 |
Articles, outline, statements (author unknown) |
n.d. |
5 |
14 |
Yes for Less Taxes: includes bulletins, position statements, and newsletter |
1980, n.d. |
6 |
1 |
Videotape: Governor Robert D. Ray speaking against Constitutional Convention (30 seconds) |
1980 |