Convention of States volunteers are making waves all across the country! Check out this great coverage from the Hutchinson Leader of the Convention of States team in Minnesota.
(Note: The article incorrectly states that amendments can be ratified at a Convention of States. Amendments can only be ratified when 38 state legislatures or state conventions approve. The delegates to a Convention of States cannot ratify amendments.)
When Republicans took control of Congress and the presidency in 2016, Gregg Tangeman believed that his biggest concerns about the federal government — out-of-control spending and ballooning deficit — would finally be addressed.
“Now we’re going to get something done,” Tangeman recalls thinking. “And then — nothing.”
That reality, combined with a Fox News program about a Convention of States, turned the Willmar resident’s frustration into action.
He joined a growing national movement in which people are calling for a Convention of States to address what they believe is a federal government run amuck.
That desire for change is what brought Tangeman and about 25 other people to the Litchfield Public Library Saturday morning. Tangeman, a district captain for House 17B, was joined by Jackie Burns, state director of Convention of States Action, and Kevin Fuhrman, a district captain from Coon Rapids.
Fuhrman, who described himself as a musician and teacher, said he never considered himself a political person. Outside of voting — which he believes is extremely important — he didn’t get involved. But like Tangeman, Fuhrman said, he was moved to join the Convention of States effort by the tremendous growth in federal government.
“Regardless of who is in office, spending continues to climb,” Fuhrman said. “It’s going to get untenable very, very soon if we don’t do something about it. We keep hearing about how we want to do more and more and more, and the deficit keeps going up.”
Fuhrman said that he believes “our system is broken,” and little resembles the intent of the original U.S. Constitution. Included in information he shared Saturday was a brief video that explained the Constitution was just 7,000 words, but that concise document has grown — through Supreme Court decisions — to fill 3,000 pages of a book weighing nearly 10 pounds.
“We’re trying to get back to the 7,000 words … to get back to the original intent” of the Constitution, Fuhrman said.
Getting back to the “original intent,” Fuhrman, Tangeman, Burns and others believe, will require a Convention of States.
Article V of the U.S. Constitution allows a Convention of States, if approved by the legislatures of two-thirds of the states, at which amendments to the Constitution could be offered and voted upon. Amendments offered at the convention could be ratified with three-fourths of delegates to the convention approving.
So far, the Convention of States Action organization’s website claims nearly 1.5 million signatures to a petition calling for a convention. In addition, legislatures in 15 states have passed a resolution calling for a convention.
The two-thirds requirement demands that 34 state legislatures approve the resolution. Those leading Saturday’s meeting were optimistic of achieving the goal, though they acknowledged that it may take time.
They hope Minnesota will be among the states to pass the resolution. And Darrin Anderson, Meeker County GOP board member, told attendees Saturday that state Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Acton Township, is generally supportive of the effort.
Supporters know they have a challenge convincing some to join the effort. Once a convention is called, federal and state governments have influence over actions taken there — a cautionary note used by those opposed to a Convention of States.
Some also frame the Convention of States issue as just another partisan political struggle, with Republicans generally supporting it and Democrats generally opposing. But Fuhrman said he doesn’t believe that’s true.
“I don’t see it as a right and left issue,” Fuhrman said. “Really, it’s about federal and state (powers) … an up-and-down issue, not a left and right.”
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