By Diana Telles, State Communications Coordinator, Convention of States Ohio
The power and jurisdiction of our federal government is undeniably excessive. In addition to unfathomable national debt caused by the spending habits of Congress, Americans regularly endure egregious violations of our liberties: open borders, the threat of un-American global treaties, weaponization of the FBI, and overregulation by unelected bureaucrats. Powerful career politicians, many no longer beholden to their constituents, cannot solve this crisis.
Simply put, Washington is broken.
So, are we concerned citizens to do nothing but educate Americans about the Constitution and hope for better legislators some day? Resort to nullification which is not in the Constitution? These softball remedies are simply not enough.
Convention of States Action is on a crusade to utilize the tool we have in Article V, given to us by our Founders. Like you, we aim to preserve liberty so our children’s children will one day know the misty eyes of patriotism, not the uninspired hopelessness of socialism.
It is time to rescue liberty and the American dream from the selfish grip of elite globalists looking to destroy our exceptional nation that until now has served as an anchor to the world economically and by way of exemplary, principled leadership.
Convention of States Action and informed patriots know it is past time to use what our Founders gave us to fight Washington elites and restore self-governance awarded to us as citizens of a constitutional republic. We must look to the country’s by-laws for the answer: the U.S. Constitution.
Comprised of over 5 million Americans nationwide, Convention of States (COS) is a national non-partisan effort uniting the states to invoke the second clause Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose amendments that advance liberty. Ohio alone has 121,000 petition signers in support of COS.
A total of 34 states must pass the COS resolution to call a state amending convention. Identical resolutions have already been passed by 19 states proposing a convention that is limited to three subjects:
- Imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government,
- Limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and
- Setting term limits on Congress and federal officials.
The importance of Article V and the amendment process cannot be overstated. Amending the Constitution brought us the Bill of Rights and other entitlements Americans cherish.
That’s why Article V of the Constitution provides two effective ways for proposing amendments to the Constitution: through Congress and by state convention. In one instance, an amendment is written in Washington, D.C. In the other, state legislatures send delegates to propose amendments in a state amending convention. In either case, any proposed amendment cannot become law unless ratified by 38 states, a supermajority.
Article V reads:
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress…
The good news is that a state convention for proposing amendments has never been done! This means that we have a unique and powerful tool waiting in the wings that can affect real change in Washington by empowering the states.
The process is safe, civil, and constitutional. The sooner we can propose amendments the better. Just imagine the possibilities: single-subject legislation, improved border policy, restraints on Federal spending, elimination of federal bureaucracy, a balanced budget, term limits for Congress!
Not so sure about a state convention? Do not to be distracted by the random objector who propagates misinformation perpetuated by Progressive radicals of the 1960s.
Consider U.S. Congress. It is authorized to propose amendments to the Constitution on any subject, any day of the week. Since 1789, there have been more than 11,000 proposed amendments, all of which originated in Congress. Of these, only 33 have been sent to the states for ratification. Only 27 have been ratified – the ones largely supported by the people.
It’s hard to imagine a state convention could be more irresponsible than Congress. The political reality is that 38 states must pass any proposed amendment.
The invocation of a state amending convention is safe. Invoking Article V is far too important to allow its legitimacy to be overshadowed by uncertainty. The real fear is in not standing up to big government tyranny and simply accepting status quo which includes an unfathomable $35 trillion national debt.
Any one of the liberty amendments we could propose under our resolution could help restore the Constitution and promote the balance of shared powers among the state, local, and the federal governments.
Our country needs us right now. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and stand alongside active COS warriors in your community who believe in state sovereignty over federal bureaucracy.
Please consider your duty to sign our petition and/or learn all you can about the Convention of States project by visiting www.conventionofstates.com. Feel free to contact Diana Telles at diana.telles@cosaction.com.
We also invite you to view the 2023 Simulated Article V Convention hosted by the Convention of States Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia. Viewers can witness state delegates from the states discussing, crafting, and voting on proposed amendments with gentility and decorum: https://www.cossimulation2023.org.
For a more detailed narrative of how amendments can save our republic through an Article V convention, please read The Liberty Amendments by Mark Levin.