Washington, D.C.'s iconic Jefferson Memorial beckons tourists from around the world as it honors our third president (1801-1809) with grandiose elements that reflect his passion for architecture.
A much quieter memorial is nestled at Jefferson's gravesite near his beloved home of Monticello, outisde Charlottesville, Virginia.
Upon his tombstone is engraved the epitaph Jefferson himself wrote.
Instead of memorializing his presidency, Jefferson wanted the world to remember his work for We the People, most notably his authorship of the Declaration of Independence.
Today power hungry politicians in Washington fight daily for ego-adorning projects like the marble edifice to our third president that was built during the Great Depression.
The federal government has forgotten Jefferson's self-evident, unalienable rights -"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"- the securing of which he declared to be the very purpose of government.
Washington, D.C. conveniently forgets that when our Framers wrote the Constitution, they intended for a limited government with only specific, enumerated powers, while all other powers resided with the states.
The Framers suspected a day would come when the federal government grossly abused its authority. That's why in Article V of the Constitution our state legislatures were empowered to hold a Convention of States for the purpose of proposing amendments to rein in the federal government and return power to the states.
As we approach our nation's 242nd Day of Independence will we be inspired by the grandiose ideas (and tax plans) of Washington, D.C.? Or will we be inspired by Thomas Jefferson's simple yet profound message that resounds through the ages: "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Today we can carry on the message of our fellow Virginian Thomas Jefferson by using Article V of the Constitution.
Join the COS Virginia team in convincing the Commonwealth's General Assembly to use Article V now, to rein in the federal leviathan.
