I traveled to Minnesota last year. Since I had to be a couple hours west of Minneapolis and I was within the 14-day window when I needed to be there, I opted to drive.
Last year was a time of terrible flooding in the Midwest. Many of you reading this were likely impacted by these events. Most of southern Minnesota was spared this natural disaster.
As I entered the northern part of Missouri and continued into Iowa and then into western Minnesota, I saw firsthand the extent of the destruction. Farmhouses and barns were washed away. Propane tanks were floating in the middle of fields. Farm implements were buried in the mud or submerged under water. Sections of Interstate 35 were washed out and we merged into two-way traffic on the southbound side.
Years and possibly decades of people’s lives were laid to waste. I saw hundreds of millions of dollars of destruction. It was incredible to witness the destructive power of water.
As I emerged from the carnage, I came to a sawmill. It was a small operation with saws driven by a waterwheel, powered by a creek. What a different representation of the power of water from what I had seen the previous few hours. Here, water was channeled to the waterwheel, which rotated in a controlled fashion. Water was a friendly input that supplied a livelihood for several families and possibly the entire town.
It occurred to me that this is exactly like the government. When in a controlled environment, government can be a force for good. It can provide for our defense. It can help our friends and neighbors in need. It can protect our freedoms and provide equal protection under the law.
When the government is uncontrolled, it can cause immeasurable harm. It can violate our natural right to protect ourselves. It can cause market dislocations by picking winners and losers. It can subsidize inefficient businesses and processes, while penalizing better run businesses with greater potential. It can violate one person’s freedoms in favor of another’s.
What made the difference whether the flow of water was constructive or destructive? It was whether the water was flowing within its banks or had overrun them.
Politicians are like running water. They tend to take the path of least resistance. If the government's efforts can be channeled properly, it can fulfill its mission to protect individual liberty and defend the Constitution. It’s up to We the People to direct the water flow. It is up to us to be the banks of the river.
Our guide to where and how the water is to flow is laid out in the Constitution. Just like a map, it shows us where to go. It takes citizens involved in the political process to ensure our elected leaders follow their Constitutional roles.
That is the Convention of States Project’s mission. To form the largest grassroots team of citizen activists who are committed to the principles of self-governance. I invite you to learn more about the Convention of States Project. Get involved! Stand up! Speak up! Show up!
Together we can form the banks that direct our government’s actions toward productive and not destructive ends.
