The following was written by Thomas Dias of Castro Valley, Convention of States California volunteer.
Could this be something that conservatives and progressives both can agree on?
To my way of thinking, and after a little reflecting on what the Convention of the States is advocating, I think clear-minded liberals and conservatives just may be able to agree on the stated objectives of the project. We are all in the same boat, and we sink or sail together.
Here is the actual verbiage in the Article V application that Convention of States is trying to get two-thirds of the state legislatures to pass:
“The legislature of the State of ______ hereby applies to Congress, under the
Provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a Convention of the states, limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that; impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.”
Let’s break it down a bit more. The convention is limited to proposing amendments that:
- Impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, (i.e. a balanced budget and limits on federal taxation).
- Limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, (i.e. transfer power and jurisdiction back to the states for programs that are better administered locally, such as health care and education).
- Limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress, (i.e. imposing term limits on Congress and the Supreme Court).
Most Americans would agree these types of amendments are needed to bring our government back under control. Remember, we have a citizen government. It is our duty to right the ship when it begins to list.
And, oh brother, is it listing now.
