Our nation is more divided than ever since the Civil War. This division unfortunately leads to polar politics, which in turn results in extreme government policies. Eventually, these extreme government policies become tyrannical and our government no longer respects and conforms to We The People.
The Convention of States Action is the only solution big enough for this problem. It will not solve the division in our nation but it will build a firewall from tyranny. It builds that firewall by the passage of constitutional amendments on three topics: Term Limits, Spending Controls, and Limiting the Overreach of the Federal Government. The reason these three topics are chosen is because they restrict the lifeblood of tyranny: unlimited time, unlimited revenues, and unlimited power. Without this lifeblood, tyranny cannot exist.
Again, it will not solve all of our problems but it will solve the biggest problem facing our nation today.
Three kinds of politicians oppose a Convention of the States. The first are those who oppose the substance of our efforts. They oppose Term Limits, Spending Controls, and Limiting the Overreach of the Federal Government. They want to maintain the status quo. Perhaps it’s because they like the power, fame, and notoriety that comes with being a career politician. Although I don’t agree with them, I can still respect their position. They are honest, but they are wrong.
The second kind of politician are those that oppose the process defined by the Constitution stating that there is a possibility that the convention could propose amendments that would weaken the Constitution or harm our country. This group of politicians is also wrong. Their ignorance of history does not allow them to see the 42 colonial and State conventions that have set precedence. They are unaware of two simulations that tested their incorrect theory. They don’t even realize the contradictions and disconnects that undermine their argument.
Finally, the third group of politicians is the most devious. They silently object to the substantive efforts but openly claim it’s the process that concerns them to sound noble. They don’t want to admit that they don’t want term limits, they don’t want spending controls, and they don’t want limits on power. They like the status quo but they see that that position is unpopular so instead they hide behind objecting to the process. These are the doomsayers that have a hidden agenda.
We must reject the perennial prophets of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse. They are the heirs of yesterday’s foolish fortune-tellers. Since the beginning of time, we have seen these doomsayers manipulate the masses for their benefit. Whether it’s making human sacrifices to the Gods or just saying “The end of the world is near”. False predictions, such as the overpopulation crisis in the 1960s, a new ice age and mass starvation in the 1970s, and the end of oil in the 1980s are the work of “alarmists” who relentlessly chase power. And now we have the climate change “alarmists” and the opposition to a convention of the states doing the same thing.
Reason alone will not mitigate their emotional draw. Their falsehoods must be exposed and the contradictions and disconnects in their logic must be confronted. Education hour is over for these entrenched opponents to reason. An assertive approach is required. Not to convince them because that will never happen, but rather to silence their misinformation.
This article was written by COS Michigan Region 10 Captain John Poelstra who grew up with grandparents who escaped from Communist Russia and came to the United States. His uncle was executed by the communists for saying "Life is better in the United States and Germany."
