Idaho Needs an Article V Convention of States
We’re often asked why Idaho should support a convention of states. The answer is both simple and compelling but requires some explanation.
To put it bluntly, we are losing control of our federal government and with it, the power to govern ourselves. If we wish to bequeath a land of freedom and prosperity to our children, action is needed before it is too late. Unfortunately, elections have failed to address our root problems because our political representation is part of the problem. Some other course of action is needed.
One only needs to watch the nightly news to grasp the extent of our problems.
- Our country is swimming in national debt,
- Corruption is rampant in the institutions intended to serve us,
- Our cities are becoming wastelands of uncontrolled crime, and,
- Moral relativism is creating a society in which good and evil cannot be distinguished.
Much, if not all, of this decay was either created or enabled by our federal government.
How badly have we strayed from our founding principles?
Our national debt has topped $33 trillion. This works out to over $100,000 of debt for every man, woman, and child in America. That debt is not merely an accounting abstraction. It has a real-world impact on all of us. Taxpayers must pay the interest on that debt every year. Had our representatives not acquired that debt, the taxes for an average family of four would be reduced by $22,000 per year!
The DOJ is targeting conservatives, concerned parents, faithful religious followers, and pro-life advocates as probable domestic terrorists. All the while, it remains willfully ignorant of real criminals and international threats to our well-being.
The FBI investigates political opponents and censors our online expression to bend American politics to its will.
In the name of social justice, our borders have been opened, our wealth is used as a resource for redistribution, and conflict between ethnic and political groups is fomented — all of which is being done without our consent.
In the name of “climate justice,” our energy resources remain untapped, our business ventures are stifled, and our consumer choices are limited. The government has decided to commit us to destitution in service to a climate theory that remains unproven.
In response to a pandemic, our elected officials (federal, state, and local) canceled what our Constitution says can’t be canceled — our God-given rights of
- Expression,
- Religion,
- Association, and
- Property.
Nothing in our Constitution authorized their actions. Instead, they proceeded, leveraging their authority while we found ourselves powerless to prevent it. Does anyone doubt that aspiring dictators in the future might replicate these actions, potentially on a grander and more enduring scale?
Unfortunately, our elected federal representatives are no longer representing our interests, and our federal “public servants” are no longer serving our interests. The system is no longer working as our Founders intended it to — because it has been broken.
When the system is no longer working, it’s time to fix the system. We’ve reached the point where it’s time to change the way our government behaves. That can only be done by changing the balance of power — with less power left to the federal government and more power to the states and individuals.
Fortunately, our Founding Fathers gave us the means to adjust the system within the framework of our beloved Constitution. By amending the Constitution, the manner of operation of our federal government can also be amended. The 2nd clause of Article V allows the states to trigger the amendment process without the consent of anyone in Washington, DC.
Thirty-four states can call for a convention in which amendments to the Constitution can be proposed. If 38 states ratify the convention’s proposals, they become part of the Constitution, permanently changing the behavior of the federal government.
Our Founders gave us the means to remind our federal “public servants” who is in charge. We just have to choose to use it.
Nineteen states have decided that it’s time to deliver that reminder. Unfortunately, Idaho has not yet joined the call for a convention of states. But we believe that 2024 is our year. Please support the resolution applying for an Article V convention to propose amendments that will impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and set term limits for federal officials and members of Congress.
Thank you for your service to the people of Idaho.
