Unlike other Article V initiatives, the Convention of States Project resolution outlines three subject areas within which amendment proposals could fall: (1) fiscal restraints on the federal government; (2) limits on the power and jurisdiction of the federal government; (3) limits on the terms of office for federal officials.
This will allow convention delegates to propose a complete package of amendments that effectively limit federal overreach.
The following are examples of amendment topics that could be discussed at a Convention of States:
- A balanced budget amendment
- A redefinition of the General Welfare Clause (the original view was the federal government could not spend money on any topic within the jurisdiction of the states)
- A redefinition of the Commerce Clause (the original view was that Congress was granted a narrow and exclusive power to regulate shipments across state lines–not all the economic activity of the nation)
- A prohibition of using international treaties and law to govern the domestic law of the United States
- A limitation on using Executive Orders and federal regulations to enact laws (since Congress is supposed to be the exclusive agency to enact laws)
- Imposing term limits on Congress and the Supreme Court
- Placing an upper limit on federal taxation
- Requiring the sunset of all existing federal taxes and a super-majority vote to replace them with new, fairer taxes
The Convention of States Project does not support any particular amendments, but we wanted to give you an idea of the types of amendments that could be proposed. The Convention of States itself would determine which ideas deserve serious consideration, and it will take a majority of votes from the states to formally propose any amendments.
The Founders gave us a legitimate path to save our liberty by using our state governments to impose binding restraints on the federal government. We must use the full power granted to the states in the Constitution.
