On Monday, January 27, an enthusiastic crowd of grassroots supporters of the Convention of States movement gathered at the South Dakota capitol building in Pierre.
More than 50 citizens from across the state met to speak with their local district representatives and show support for the cause at the rally.
The rally-goers were eager for the legislators to vote in favor of the COS bill that will be introduced sometime this week. The bill will invoke Article V in the Constitution of the United States, calling for a convention of states to consider amendments to the Constitution.
Specifically, the national movement wants to propose term limits for federal officials in Washington, D.C., enforce fiscal responsibility, and limit federal overreach.
“Once they learn more, South Dakota citizens overwhelmingly and wholeheartedly embrace the need for the three pillars of the Convention of States,” said Harvey Fitzgerald, a COS District Captain from Buffalo Gap.
“When they learn the constitutional framers knew Article V would be necessary and gave us the tool to forge positive improvements in our country, the grassroots passion shines. We saw that in Pierre this week.”
Members of the group spent the morning in the halls of the capitol discussing the potential of the bill with their legislators. For several people, this event was their first experience with COS. Loren and Rhonda Nelson said they drove in from Cavour so they could ask questions and learn more about the movement.
Others were drawn by the chance to hear from guest speakers. Featured rally speaker Tim Barton, CEO of WallBuilders, encouraged everyone to seize the opportunity to get involved.
“The Founding Fathers, with a lot of brilliance, set up a system of government in the Constitution that gives a lot of authority to the people,” said Barton.
“One of the most important things to remember is We the People are in charge. We can only be in charge if we are involved with the process. Even though most Americans are frustrated with the culture and climate of society, very few get involved to be problem-solvers. The Founding Fathers believed that the people would stand up to be the problem-solvers, so we could hold elected officials accountable.”
Momentum for COS is growing. This grassroots project is a national movement with 15 other states already on board. There were activities in Colorado, Michigan, and South Carolina, as well as South Dakota, all also taking part simultaneously this week.
The Convention of States is making progress, and people are taking notice. While this process is not a new concept, citizens and legislative representatives are all learning more about this method for proposing solutions for our government.
“From what I have seen, there is a lot more information out there than just the short headlines people read online,” said Cecilia Wolf, of Custer, S.D. Wolf is a high school student, who was attending the COS event as part of her homeschool curriculum.
“When we only read those titles, we miss the big picture," she continued. "More people should come and take part in these events and join in to make them happen.”
To discover more about the Convention of States or to find ways to join the movement, browse the website.
