The late Senator Tom Coburn used to call the alphabet soup of federal agencies the "Leviathan."
It's easy to see why.
The federal government creates new agencies and departments every year. There is so much overlap and duplication of missions that the federal government could easily be cut in half and still accomplish everything it does today.
Of course, under a proper interpretation of the Constitution, it should be controlling far less than it does.
Which brings us to the latest creation of the Biden administration: the "Office of Climate Change and Health Equity."
This newly grown tentacle of the federal Leviathan is tasked with "protecting the health of people throughout the US in the face of climate change, especially those experiencing a higher share of exposures and impacts." The department will handle issues of "environmental justice" and work with those "on the frontlines of the climate crisis."
Even if you believe that climate change warrants this kind of response, why do we need a federal agency for this specific task? Why can't one of the dozens of other health-related agencies tackle this project?
They don't say. But this obviously political move is sure to cost taxpayers millions, if not billions, of dollars. We'll pay for office space, computers, salaries, and furniture--not to mention funding the actual "projects" they cook up.
And they aren't alone. The federal register currently lists a whopping 457 agencies within the federal government. Take a minute to scroll through the list. You'll find that we're paying for both a "Federal Housing Finance Agency" and a "Federal Housing Finance Board." In the Department of Agriculture there is both a "Economic Analysis Staff" and an "Economic Research Service" along with a "Rural Housing and Community Development Service" and a "Rural Housing Service."
We could go on, but you get the idea. The federal government is bloated, and there's no sign of it shrinking. Washington bureaucrats love their power and position, and agencies are almost never dissolved or disbanded. As long as Congress keeps appropriating funds to these agencies, they aren't going anywhere.
That's why we need to call a Convention of States. An Article V Convention of States is called and controlled by the states and has the power to force Congress to be fiscally responsible. If Congress were required to balance the budget without raising taxes, many of these agencies wouldn't stand a chance. Congress would be looking for ways to cut spending, and they would first turn to the duplication and corruption within the executive branch.
But a Convention of States can impose even more profound reforms. Most of these agencies control topics that exist nowhere in the Constitution. These issues are supposed to left to sole state control, and that's exactly what a Convention of States could do.
Amendments proposed at a Convention of States could shrink federal jurisdiction. This means that amendments could prohibit the federal government from dictating policy on a host of issues, including education, energy, the environment, and housing. Without the authority to control these topics, many federal agencies would be instantly dissolved.
If you're tired of living under the control of the federal Leviathan, you've come to the right place. Sign the petition below to join the +5 million Americans who have voiced support for a Convention of States to finally limit the power, scope, and jurisdiction of the federal government.
