As the conference in which our Founders wrote the Constitution concluded, Elizabeth Willing Powel asked Benjamin Franklin what type of government had been formed. He responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” His statement wasn’t one of pessimism – predicting that the republic couldn’t last. He was observing that the duty to maintain the Republic was passing to its citizens, and would require our lasting commitment.
As a self-governed country, it is our duty as ordinary citizens to ensure that our Republic is protected and continues to operate to the principles under which it was founded – using all means available to us.
Ordinary citizens of the United States have always answered that call in times of crisis. When the axis of Germany, Japan, and Italy threatened our republic; ordinary Americans didn’t say: “Someone should do something about that.” Ordinary members of the greatest generation went to the recruiting offices, hospitals, and factories and said: “I’m here to do something about it.”
80 years after the greatest generation answered the call, the United States is facing another crisis. This time our freedom is under attack by the axis of radicalism, globalism, and communism – and our own government has become allied with the axis. Just as throughout our history, ordinary Americans are answering the call and saying: “I’m here to do something about it.”
Volunteers with Convention of States Action have a plan inspired by our Founders, to arrest our Republic’s slide into tyranny. But the plan requires us to work together, returning power to the states, as our Founders intended.
Opponents are understandably hesitant. They don’t disagree with any of the Convention of States Action goals. But they fear that states will lose control of the convention. They fear that the process will jeopardize our civil liberties. They fear that all manner of radical ideology will be added to the Constitution. But most of all, they fear that three-quarters of Americans (the number needed to ratify changes), can’t be trusted with such a heady undertaking.
Opponents of an Article V convention counsel that we should continue with that which has been failing for 40+ years – using only the voting booth to influence our government. Their rationale against using the more powerful tools at our disposal is that America is ill-equipped to make changes to the Constitution, because we lack statesmen of the James Madison or Thomas Jefferson caliber.
They are saying that we need a larger-than-life hero to save our republic, because ordinary Americans lack the wisdom for self-governance.
If only George Washington were here to debate with convention of states opponents. In 1787 he said:
I do not think we are more inspired, have more wisdom, or possess more virtue, than those who will come after us. The power under the Constitution will always be in the People.
General Washington understood that ordinary men are capable of extraordinary accomplishments when they put their fear aside and answer the call of duty.
If you would like to be counted among the Idahoans answering the call, visit www.conventionofstates.com/idaho to see volunteer opportunities.
