As the American people gear up for the 2020 elections, candidates from across the political spectrum are calling for unity.
We must be unified, they say, because divisiveness will tear our country apart. But many fail to explain the values we ought to be unified around. While none would say all Americans share the same set of values, there are some foundational principles that all Americans should be able to support.
Rita Dunaway, the National Legislative Director for Convention of States Action, outlined a few of these values in her recent column on The Stream:
As we wade through another heated, divisive election season, here are a few of those principles that we should look for at the core of every candidate’s campaign.
So citizen, beware. Candidates who seek to heal our divided nation without regard to these principles are selling snake oil. They aren’t treating the real disease.
- Respect for the Rule of Law. We must always remember that the Rule of Law is what protects us from tyranny. The moment we give our tacit consent to policies that Washington has no legitimate power to make, we invite tyrants to rule us at their whims. Oh, and don’t assume that the candidates have some secret knowledge about the Constitution that you don’t have. If they talk about doing things the Constitution says nothing about, then they’re leading us down the wrong path.
- Respect for Individual Liberty. Yes, this means we need to make sure candidates support our right to live out our faith and to speak our minds. But we need to look further. We should expect them to take a strong stand against our culture’s new orthodoxy that would label every non-adherent as a “hater.” (Think Drew Brees). A person who truly respects religious freedom does not approve of demonizing the beliefs of minorities.
- Respect for our Federal System. So few of our federal officials seem to understand that Washington, D.C. is not Super-Government. The states were always meant to do the bulk of domestic policy-making. They weren’t meant to be pawns of a bigger, “badder,” version of themselves. Any serious candidate needs to understand, and respect, how the role of federal government differs from the roles of the states.
Did you catch #3? How many of our current politicians and candidates believe the states should do the "bulk of domestic policy"? Doesn't it seem sometimes like our "leaders" from both sides of the aisle imagine D.C. as a Super-Government?
The truth is, we'll never be able to unify as a country with Washington calling the shots. Bureaucrats in our nation's capital can't dictate how We the People should live our lives, and until their power is checked, we'll continue to fight about who holds the reins in D.C.
That's where a Convention of States comes in. An Article V Convention of States can propose constitutional amendments that strip power from Washington and return it to the states and the people. With the balance of power restored between national and state governments, Americans will once again be free to control the laws under which they live. They'll be less obsessed with federal politics and more concerned with the things that really matter -- taking care of their families, pursuing their careers, and flourishing in the greatest country on earth.
Sign the Convention of States Petition below to show your support!
