Have you heard about the gathering of state legislators at Mount Vernon to discuss a Convention of States? Well, in case you’ve missed it, one hundred legislators from 32 states gathered at the home of George Washington on Saturday to discuss, of all things, the possibility of a Convention of the States to propose amendments to the Constitution, as described in Article V of the US Constitution.
While many Americans may hoot and holler about such an event saying that it is needed to curb this out of control government and administration, let us play devil’s advocate for just one minute to look at this with a more than skeptical eye. These supposedly well-meaning state legislators are meeting to discuss a Convention of the States for the purpose of securing amendments to the Constitution for Congressional term limits and a balanced budget. They recognize the low approval rating for all branches of government, the rampant corruption in Washington, DC, out of control entitlement programs and a complicated tax code that is literally strangling this country to death. Also being discussed is an amendment that would limit federal taxation and spending. While standing in Mount Vernon, this group of state legislators “emphasized a bipartisan purpose for a future convention.”
There is that word “bipartisan” again. Democrats and Republicans are nothing more than different sides of the same coin. One is heads and one is tails; which one is the tail changes periodically but it can be said that both are basically the horse’s a**. These legislators lit up the Twitter and posed for photos smiling as though they have tapped into a power whereby their intervention will save the people from this runaway government and criminal president. Well, let me just say when I hear the word “bipartisan,” I get ready to bend over because it inevitably follows that somehow the American public is going to be shafted.
The last amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1992 to become the 27th amendment. It states, “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of the Representatives shall have intervened.”
Now, I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but this does not sound to me like it limits in anyway a Congressional pay increase, nor does it limit Congress from doing anything except making a law until the elected Representatives have proposed it since the House of Representatives control the purse. There is no limit applied to any compensation for their services. This is nothing more than Washington double speak to increase their pay whenever they see fit after the duly elected Representatives vote on it. Congress are the only employees I know that can subsequently give themselves a raise and tell their employer it has to be paid. If any additional amendments to the Constitution are like this one, well, there are no words to describe the disgust.
Our current government is operating so far outside the Constitution, ignoring basic tenets of the Constitution regarding presidential eligibility, enumerated powers, and restrictions placed on it, that another amendment is just more words for them to ignore. So pardon me if I don’t jump up and down, singing “God Bless America,” when faced with a group of state politicians grandstanding to garner support for a Convention of the States to propose a “supposed” restriction on a federal government that isn’t going to follow it anyway.
Let’s be totally honest here. What politician, and these are politicians just at the state level, truly has the best interest of their constituents at heart? If there is one, I want to meet them. They are more than welcome to contact me through Freedom Outpost because I truly want to have a conversation with them, if they are brave enough to face an ordinary American citizen and be asked the tough questions regarding the elephants in the room I am tired of stepping around. If they truly are interested in the best interest of Americans, let’s hear them talk about upholding the Constitution; let’s hear them go against the platform of their “party” to talk common sense and exhibit statesmanship, instead of spouting the talk of a good game – let’s see them live it through actions. I won’t hold my breath because I’ll pass out first.
I don’t see this as an opportunity to regain the government that is supposed to be “by the people, of the people and for the people.” I see this as an opportunity by state legislators of certain states to gain support for their agenda which may not be far off from the federal government. If term limits for Congress ever become law, this just means that more state legislators, politicians if you will, get an opportunity to exact their agenda on the people through the federal mechanism. It will be more of the same, with different players, more frequently. They will have garnered the support of the public through the ruse of the Con-Con.
States are still sovereign. State governments can still use nullification. States can exercise their rights. They don’t because they have become dependent on entitlements from the federal government. The legislators in the states have betrayed their oaths by refusing to uphold state sovereignty but want the American people to applaud them for their “move” to call a Convention of the States. These elected state officials are telling the American people they want amendments to limit Congressional terms, balance a budget and limit taxation and spending at the federal level.
Looking at the 27th Amendment, I can just imagine the “limits” those amendments would have along with plenty of pork that you could host a nationwide barbecue for a year.
It boils down to one thing and one thing only; there is no way to legislate values and principles. Yes, the Constitution provides a remedy for our current situation in Article V; however, every tenet of government is so corrupted with the atmosphere of “the flavor of the month” causes that the risk of further damage outweighs the benefit until the people reclaim their local and state governments, then work up to the federal level. That is, if we can at this point. Democrat party die-hard supporting Americans will vote for a Democrat if a peanut ran for office while Republican Party die-hard supporting Americans will vote for a dollar bill if it ran.
There is no magic wand or “gathering” of state legislators that can alter the course of this country. Only the people can do that through concerted effort. Ask yourself this one question: Do you trust a politician?
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