Governors across the country are under increasing pressure to ease lockdown policies that have led to a growing economic disaster.
Various groups have formed to question the legality of the actions of the various state governors in unilaterally shutting down their state’s economies. This is true here in North Carolina, as well.
The Reopen NC group is one such group and has grown rapidly to nearly 70,000 supporters. They have held multiple rallies at the state capitol with more planned every Tuesday until the economy is opened up and pursuing legal options as well. 
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has extended the “stay at home order” until May 8, with no definitive plan announced on how and when the economy will be opened up. Business owners are becoming increasingly concerned, and many may not ever open their doors again.
It can be argued that the costs of the shutdown in the economy are outweighing the benefits. Closing down the economy and limiting travel and mass gatherings were likely needed back in February. But they were only meant to slow the spread of the virus, not eliminate the risk entirely.
Even if all restrictions were lifted today, there is growing concern that the economic recovery will be slower then expected. Why? Because consumers are now fearful. The data below confirms that Americans will not rush out to restaurants, malls, or sporting events without taking precautions.
Whether you agree or not that we need to start opening the economy, a critical issue is whether Governor Cooper is abusing his power.
The Convention of States issued a recent call to action to encourage voters in North Carolina to contact their state legislators and ask them to address the governor’s actions when they go into session on April 28. The voice of the people must be heard.
How has Cooper abused his power? This proposed resolution by Allen Chesser (former candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina) was sent to all state legislators. It details the abuses of both the U.S. and North Carolina constitutions.
If you are concerned with government overreach at the state level, then you should also be concerned with how the federal government continues to grow in size, abusing its power every day.
The federal government is spending trillions of dollars to respond to the economic fallout of the lockdowns. All of this will only add to the existing $24 trillion in debt.
We are currently at a debt-GDP ratio of over 100 percent. That has not been the case since World War II. Career politicians in both parties pander to a large percentage of the public convinced that big government can solve all their problems.
But doesn’t the 10th Amendment protect us from federal overreach? The problem is the 10th Amendment establishes a principle but not a process to protect the reserved powers from federal overreach (see this article).
Over the last 100 years or so, the courts have been more than happy to broadly interpret the General Welfare Clause, the Interstate Commerce Clause, and the Due Process Clause. That is what has allowed the federal government to amass $24 trillion in debt and grow beyond what the Founders intended.
The only way to restrain the growth of the federal government and restore the spirit of the 10th Amendment is by supporting and becoming engaged with the Convention of States Project. 
Convention of States is a non-partisan project based on the premise that the federal government is out of control, and career politicians of both parties are responsible. They are drunk on power and money and will never restrain their own power.
The COS Project is an ambitious plan to use Article V of the U.S. Constitution to call a Convention of States to propose amendments to the Constitution that Congress will never do on their own.
Those amendments would fall into three categories: term limits on federal officials, fiscal restraints, and restrictions on the power and scope of the federal government.
Our Founders knew this day would come and provided us the means in Article V to reset the power structure between the federal government and the states.
The process entails two-thirds (34) of the states to pass a resolution in their legislatures, requiring Congress to call a Convention of States per Article V. Fifteen states have done so--but not North Carolina. The resolution currently in the North Carolina House is H390.
We need your help. Please go online and sign the petition. Please volunteer to help. Complaining will not fix the problem. You must take action before it is too late. If not you, who will do it? That is what our Founders expected of us all.
Jeff Groh resides in western North Carolina and is a small business owner. He is also a Regional Captain for Convention of States North Carolina, a non-partisan effort to rein in the expanding role of the federal government. Email him at jgroh@newproductvisions.com or connect with him on Linked In or Facebook.
