North Michigan News

People keep asking me what this "Convention of States project" is. It is really a pretty simple and straightforward plan for ensuring that the voice of the people will always be heard. It is the Framers' guarantee against the federal government ever entertaining tyrannical aspirations.

When the Framers were finishing up the Constitutional convention in Philadelphia toward the end of the summer of 1787, George Mason of Virginia was reading over the draft of the document that would form our federal republic. Article V was a short clause that basically said that Congress had the right to amend the Constitution as needed. Mason asked what would happen if we ever had a Congress that did not represent the will of the people? The rest of the delegates talked about that for a few minutes and decided to add a second method into Article V for amending the U.S. Constitution that would most directly represent the will of We the People.

The people elect their state legislators. So, if the federal Congress started doing things that oppressed the people, the legislatures of the states could call for a "Convention of States" (COS) to consider amendments to the Constitution which would put checks and balances on the federal government. It would take 2/3 of the States to call for the convention and any proposed amendments which came out of the convention would have to be ratified by 3/4 of the state legislatures. No governors, no federal politicians, not even the president could oppose the will of the People.

The current Resolution being promoted by the COS project contains three parameters or frameworks within which amendments could be entertained. These are:

(1) fiscal restraints on the federal budget,

(2) term limits on federal officials and Congress, and

(3) limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government.

Once the Resolution is passed by 34 of the States, the States inform Congress, Congress is compelled to set the time and place for the Article V Convention of States and to invite the other 16 states. The legislatures of each State shall select their delegates to the convention. The delegates serve on an at-will basis and are charged to stay within the frameworks of the Resolution; this means that states can recall delegates from the Convention for talking out of order (discussing items other than the 3 topics). Furthermore, some states have made it a crime punishable by up to 3 years in prison. Any amendments which come out of the convention would then have to be ratified by 38 of the State legislatures.

This is a very high bar to clear, but it also is a built-in safety measure so there can be no "runaway" convention that starts ripping apart the Constitution. Some people are spreading that rumor; but when you check out who they are you discover they have either been misinformed or they are trying to protect their investment in the status quo.

Sixteen states have passed the Resolution to date. If you want to make a difference in our nation and help restore freedom and liberty, call your State legislators and tell them to support the non-partisan "Convention of States" Resolution. It is time to restore the checks and balances between Washington, D.C. and the Sovereign States. It is time to get the federal government out of every aspect of our lives. It is time to stop all of the crazy spending by career politicians. Now is your time to DO something about it. Tell your legislators to support the COS Resolution. Your grandchildren will thank you.

Enjoy these helpful resources that clarify the process:

1. Printable answers to FAQs

2. Three-minute video about the Convention of States process

Whittaker is a Convention of States Michigan volunteer.