You won't hear this in the mainstream media, but it's the truth: Americans are at each other's throats because the federal government has too much power.
Every national election is do-or-die for many Americans because they realize that the results of those elections can have lasting, far-reaching consequences in their daily lives. If the other party controls the all-powerful federal government, they have no effective recourse.
Mitch McConnell painted a picture of that scenario in recent remarks on the Senate floor. McConnell's purpose was to discourage Democrats from ending the filibuster, and his policy examples would be welcomed by many Americans. But the possibility of the scorched-earth Senate he describes is exactly what is ripping our country apart.
“So, let me say this very clearly for all 99 of my colleagues: Nobody serving in this chamber can even begin to imagine what a completely scorched-earth Senate would look like,” McConnell said.
He continued:
“As soon as Republicans wound up back in the saddle, we wouldn’t just erase every liberal change that hurt the country. We’d strengthen America with all kinds of conservative policies with zero input from the other side. Nationwide right-to-work for working Americans. Defunding Planned Parenthood and sanctuary cities on day one. A whole new era of domestic energy production. Sweeping new protections for conscience and the right to life of the unborn. Concealed-carry reciprocity in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Massive hardening of security on our southern border.”
Some of these items may be legitimate functions of the federal government, but McConnell's list demonstrates how Washington has the power to change the face of the country overnight. If Democrats end the filibuster, they'll do the same thing -- just in reverse.
Nationwide ID-less voting, firearm bans, new states, and packed courts are just a few of the items on the Democrats' agenda, and many in the party do not share McConnell's aversion to a scorched-earth Congress. The awesome power of the federal government is real, and we can't rely on there being enough politicians like McConnell to exercise restraint.
That's why we must limit Washington's power using our most powerful tool: an Article V Convention of States.
A Convention of States is called and controlled by the states (not Congress), and has the power to propose constitutional amendments that limit federal power. These amendments can restrict Washington's jurisdiction to a narrow, limited set of topics and give the states full control over all other government functions in American life.
With the states in the driver's seat, Americans will have much greater ability to influence the laws under which they live. State legislators are much more responsive to their constituents, and they'll be more willing to listen to the voice of We the People.
And if some of them don't, We the People can vote with their feet by moving to a state with laws that align more closely to their values.
We shouldn't live in fear of every national election. We should take our country's future into our own hands, and we can do it with a Convention of States.
Sign the petition below to join the movement!
Photo: Gage Skidmore
