The United States Constitution – Then and Now
Congress—The Unscrupulous Runaway Convention
By Jim MacDonald
Millions of Americans are signing and sending petitions to their respective state legislators. For many reasons, people are frustrated with the actions of our government. Regardless of whom we elect to office, the interest of the people is rarely their priority.
In 2012, the tea party movement emerged and appeared to have energized the conservative base to elect a new group of congressional leadership. Unfortunately, as time went on, the expected transformation never occurred, and before long, it was business as usual.
A Swamp of Horrors
The money-grubbing attitude of politicians towards the People’s money tops the list of political evils. No one could ever fathom a $26 trillion national debt, but here we are. Congress spends American tax dollars like they found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. With 320 million people in America, that’s over $81,000 of debt per every man, woman, and child.
Yet we have no plan, and seemingly no desire, to pay it off. At what point do we take responsibility for the shortfall and decide that enough is enough?
Then there is the issue of corruption. One could write an entire set of encyclopedias about the corruption which exists within our government regarding its dealings with private businesses and foreign governments.
How about our educational system. Every institution from colleges and universities down to our public elementary schools has become nothing more than indoctrination chambers for anti-American propaganda.
Oh, and let’s not forget the disgraceful media. It’s the only industry protected by the Constitution (Freedom of the Press, 1st Amendment). However, the blatant hypocrisy displayed by most journalists exposes it as a propaganda wing for the progressive left.
Put all these together, and you have the ingredients of a lethal societal bomb waiting to explode.
With corruption running rampant in our politics, businesses, and educational system and almost no genuine journalists to accurately inform the people, where do we look to find the solution to these problems? Since we have a “runaway” ruling class that has little regard for the original philosophy the Founders created, a “runaway” Convention of States would surely be the least of our problems right now.
The Great Assault on the Founder’s Experiment
The Constitution, written on a few sheets of parchment paper, was intended to limit the government’s authority over the people. It carried America well into the 20th century without significant changes. Then in the early 1900s, progressive amendments were passed by Congress and ratified by the States. The Federal Government began to usurp power from the people and the states. Bureaucratic systems (IRS, EPA, NEA, etc.) established and passed unconstitutional laws.
Then the progressive movement began to influence the judicial system. Justices who viewed the Constitution as a “living and breathing document,” were appointed to the Supreme Court. Ignoring “original intent,” they distorted the Constitution to such a point the Founders wouldn’t even recognize it.
Today, the original intent of the Constitution no longer has relevance to laws written by Congress or rulings by the Supreme Court. Instead, they base decisions on ‘precedence.’ When the Supreme Court rules on an interpretation of the Constitution, it sets a precedent. Later, when similar matters arise, the original intent is not considered, only the new precedent. Today, a document initially designed to limit the power and scope of the federal government virtually gives them more power than the Founders ever intended and even tried to prevent.
The picture above provides visual evidence of the transformation the Constitution has undergone. The once-powerful, limiting, United States Constitution has been degraded to a horribly mutated version of its former uniqueness. Three or four pages of parchment paper to a book nearly 3000 pages thick.
The Founders’ Wisdom Provided a Reset Tool
On September 15, 1787, Colonel Mason recognized and informed his fellow members of the Constitutional Convention of an oversight in the document. The Founders, being students of historical governments and the nature of man, knew over time the government would become too powerful, and the people would lose their freedom and liberty. The Founders understood that power perverts people and, once the politicians became corrupted, they would never correct themselves.
John Adams wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson asking:
“Have you ever found in history, one single example of a Nation thoroughly corrupted that was afterward restored to virtue?”
The Founders amended Article V of the Constitution by giving the people the ability to call a Convention of States to restore proper governmental boundaries. With the whole body of men in agreement, the Constitution was signed two days later.
Article V states that when two-thirds of the states, or thirty-four states, unite for a common purpose, a convention for proposing amendments will be called. All fifty states would send delegates to represent the interest of their state based on the resolution passed by their legislature.
Examples of potential amendments could include:
- Establish term limits on all legislators, federal judges, and bureaucrats
- Require fiscal responsibility, such as:
- Following standard accounting procedures
- Balancing the budget
- Limiting spending to a percentage of the GDP
- Reducing the tax rate
- Limit the power and scope of the federal government
- Abolishing the power of the bureaucracies to make laws
- Eliminating the misuse of the “commerce clause.”
Once approved by the convention, the proposed amendments are then sent back to the individual states for ratification. If three-quarters of the states, or 38 states, ratify the amendments, they become law.
Opponents of an Article V Convention are concerned there could be a runaway convention. Since only 13 states opposing any recommended amendment would block its ratification, a runaway convention is unlikely. In reality, we already have a runaway convention – Congress and the Supreme Court. For over 100 years, they have been re-writing (and re-interpreting) the Constitution to further their agendas. But, “We the People” were given a tool to end their tyrannical supremacy, and it’s time to use it.
Calling a Convention of States to propose amendments through Article V of the United States Constitution is the only solution big enough to take on the problem of government over-reach.
(The current COVID-19 crisis has shown us that we must rein in our local governments as well).
Far too many Americans have taken their unalienable rights for granted. They have little or no understanding of what our natural rights or constitutional rights are. Freedom and liberty are not free—they must be fought for. In the past, Americans fought on the battlefield with muskets and rifles. Today, we fight in the Halls of Congress with our voices and our convictions.
A Call to Action
Ronald Reagan reminded us that Freedom “is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
So what are we, as self-governing, patriotic Americans to do?
- Get a copy of the Constitution—study and understand it. As James Madison said: “A well-instructed people alone can be permanently a free people.”
- Sign the Convention of States petition.
- Become acquainted with your State and Federal Representatives and know where they stand on issues.
- Become a grass-roots activist with the Convention of States Action.
Most Congressional Representatives in Washington, D.C., place the needs of their special interest groups over the needs of their constituents. The original intent of the U.S. Constitution was for the States to maintain the majority of the governing power; consequently, giving “We the People” the ability for self-governance.
“The power under the Constitution will always be in the people.”—George Washington
Become part of the solution and support Article V of the U.S. Constitution!
Together, we can drain the swamp and finally stop Congress—the unscrupulous runaway convention.