Reviving the American Dream: COS celebrates another historic week

“We just need to push and push,” said Hawaii District Captain Jim Ray after speaking with District 13 Representative Mahina Poepoe’s office about Convention of States. “We need this thing done.”

Millions of grassroots proponents across America, it would seem, agree. And this week, they did exactly that — they pushed and pushed.

From Hawaii to Iowa to Rhode Island and many more in between, the grassroots army of self-governing citizen activists turned out in an impressive show of force in the first full week of February. Wielding its weighty political leverage to advance the Article V application, this people-centric movement silenced those who still wonder, “Are you getting anything done?”

You better believe we are!

This week, COS crammed in three legislative hearings… in three states… in one day. In Iowa, former Senator Rick Santorum ably dispelled a sea of anti-Article V propaganda, misinformation, and fear-based opposition with his stirring address to the Iowa House State Government Subcommittee. 

“Unlike some,” the senator jabbed at naysayers, “I actually have a lot of belief in the Founders. And unlike some, I believe the entire Constitution should be used.”

Notably, he pointed out, “the entire Constitution [includes] Article V.”

SEE ALSO: ‘I failed’: Sen. Santorum delivers POWERFUL testimony in Iowa

Meanwhile, precisely 647 miles away, Convention of States Co-Founder Michael Farris faced down a wave of questioning in the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee, where he joined an intellectually-armed posse of volunteers in support of Article V. After more than three hours of supporter-only testimony, the 2022 State Team of the Year garnered praise from various COS leaders for its persuasive, professional, and well-prepared performance. Mark Meckler called it a masterclass.

“Any team that wants to do a perfect job on their testimony,” he said, “needs to watch this team. It was as good as I’ve ever seen.”

That same night, the Rhode Island House Committee on State Government and Elections also welcomed proponent testimony on the state’s active Article V legislation. Regional Director Haley Shaw called it “a big day for the RI Team.” The meeting followed an extensive outreach campaign, impacting hundreds of supporters in the region with news about the hearing.

All of this (and more)… by Tuesday night!

The week was only beginning.

SEE ALSO: New state files COS resolution as grassroots brace for February surge

Wednesday morning, Iowa legislators returned to the COS application, this time in a full House committee. Michael Farris, fresh from his testimony in Ohio, made a swift journey to the Hawkeye State to advocate for the bill before it passed on a 12-11 vote.

“We believe,” Iowa Representative John Wills previously addressed his colleagues, “that an Article V convention of states is the only way to stop the inability of Washington, D.C., to function, the encroachment of D.C. on our states, and the out-of-control budget. It is also the only way to bring balance back to our great country.

“The status quo,” he mused, “is unacceptable.”

The COS application in Iowa will now advance to the full House of Representatives for debate and consideration. “It’s time for Iowa to join the list of states calling for a convention,” urged Regional Director Catherine Zemanek.

Emboldened by these victories, the grassroots continued to turn out for a series of history-making ventures across the nation. Other events this week included a Surge Event in Oklahoma, continued legislative meetings in Hawaii, and grassroots testimony in the South Dakota Senate State Affairs Committee. Additionally, in a breakthrough vote, the COS application passed through a Democrat-majority committee in Massachusetts.

Each of these milestones testifies to the relentless dedication of the grassroots and the growing momentum behind the Article V cause. This week’s whirlwind of activity marks only the beginning of our efforts. Until the COS army of supporters — the most formidable grassroots army in American history — crosses that final 34-state threshold, you can rest assured they will push ahead, undeterred.

“The Convention of States effort is not merely a political maneuver,” said Mark Pukita, one of many Ohioan supporters to testify this week. “It is a clarion call for the revival of the American dream. It seeks to create a fertile ground for entrepreneurs to thrive, unencumbered by excessive regulation, and to guarantee that the personal freedoms our forebears fought for remain intact. By supporting this cause, we champion a future where innovation, prosperity, and freedom are the hallmarks of our nation.”