As John Boehner’s reign comes to an end, and Paul Ryan considers a bid to replace him, do the American people think new leadership will change how Congress operates?
According to a recent CNN/ORC poll, the answer is a resounding no. Among all adults, 62% say that a new Republican leadership team in Congress would not bring real reform.
The fact is, no new leadership -- whether in the executive or legislative branch -- can stop the runaway train in Washington, D.C. The reason for this is simple: the problems in D.C. are structural. The Supreme Court has so warped our government's original federalist structure that the national government has much more power than the Founders intended -- especially the executive branch.
The People have tried time and again to elect the “right” people, but time and again those people have fallen prey to or proven ineffective in fighting this federal leviathan.
Only one thing can restore a meaningful balance of power between the states and D.C. -- an Article V Convention of States. At such a Convention, delegates can propose constitutional amendments that limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints on Congress, and mandate term limits for federal officials. These amendment can address the heart of the problem in Washington and return our nation's government to a limited, federalist constitutional republic.
