It’s hard to imagine that any American citizen, regardless of political affiliation—whether Republican, Democrat, Independent, or otherwise—can look at our nation’s current situation and feel confident that we’re in a good place. Our country feels like a rudderless sailboat, drifting aimlessly at sea, seemingly headed toward the collapse of our economy, our government, and the very foundation of the nation we once knew.
For far too long, we as citizens have placed our trust in the officials we elect to represent us in Washington, D.C., believing they would act in our best interests. While we often criticize Congress as a whole, we tend to defend our own Representatives and Senators, convinced they’re not part of the problem. We tell ourselves it’s always the “other states’ Members” who are at fault. After all, we might even personally know our Members of the House and Senate and consider them “good people.” But as someone who has spent many years in our nation’s capital, I can tell you that’s simply not true. They are all the same. They tell us what they think we want to hear to secure our votes and our financial support, but once in office, they hand over the power we’ve entrusted to them to the political elites and lobbyists who truly run our government day in and day out.
The time to take action and correct the course of our government, steering our country toward a better future, has never been more critical than it is right now, in 2024. Our Founding Fathers never imagined that Congressmen or Senators would become lifelong politicians. They never envisioned anyone remaining in elected office for over 50 years. If Jefferson could witness what has become of the country they fought to establish, he’d be rolling over in his grave, seeing how greed and special interests have propped up these career politicians.
Our Constitution doesn’t provide us with an initiative or referendum process that would allow us, the citizens, to place federal issues on a ballot for a direct vote. Unfortunately, many people view this as an insurmountable barrier to addressing the pressing issues we face, such as lifetime politicians, illegal immigration at our borders, uncontrolled government spending, a Supreme Court that lacks ethical oversight, and numerous other critical concerns. As a result, most have resigned themselves to the belief that nothing can be done to change these problems. They’ve accepted the status quo and continue to go along with the existing system.
However, I’ve discovered that there are still patriots out there who refuse to give up the fight. These patriots are determined to save our country from collapse and have found a legitimate
way to do so. The organization leading this effort is called the “Convention of States,” which was founded nearly a decade ago, in 2015. While our Constitution doesn’t include an initiative or referendum process, it does contain Article V, which was included all the way back in 1789. Our Framers understood that the country would evolve over time, and they recognized that the sound document they crafted would need to be updated or revised to address the challenges of future generations.
Article V outlines the process for states to convene a Convention of States, allowing them to propose and approve solutions to issues that our existing government seems unable to address. To initiate this important convention, 34 state legislatures, or two-thirds, must pass a resolution calling for it. Once convened, the convention can propose amendments that could “impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and set term limits for its officials and members of Congress.” For any proposed amendment to become part of our Constitution, it must then be ratified by 38 states, or three fourths.
The brilliance of our Founders lay in their foresight—they understood that they couldn’t predict the exact challenges our young nation would face in the future. They couldn’t be certain that the United States would even still exist 248 years later, but they hoped their hard-fought vision would endure. To ensure that, they included Article V as a way for future generations to make necessary changes to the government, especially if greed and special interests ever threatened the principles they established. As we look at our current, often ineffective Congress and the presidential candidates before us, can we honestly say it’s in our best interest to rely solely on them to guide our future? I believe that if asked, the majority of American citizens would respond with a resounding no.
The Convention of States has already secured approval from 19 states to initiate this convention, leaving just 15 more needed to bring this idea from concept to reality. Imagine the issues that could be addressed through a Convention of States. Implementing term limits for the House and Senate would be an obvious starting point. We could also tackle illegal border crossings, establish a constitutional requirement for an annual balanced budget to curb unchecked spending, and impose term limits on federal judges, including Supreme Court Justices, capping their service at 20 years. No one, absolutely no one, should hold any office for a lifetime, period.
So far, the Convention of States has received approval from both chambers of the state legislatures in West Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Arizona, and Alaska. But that’s not all—there’s more good news. The Convention of States has also passed in one chamber of the legislatures in Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa,
South Dakota, New Mexico, and Vermont. This movement is real, it is gaining momentum, and it may be the only viable way to steer our country back on course.
I began this column with the title, “Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of our country,” and I believe there is no truer or more urgent statement. We can no longer allow the swamp—rife with corruption, greed, and special interests—to be the sole force attempting to save our nation. They’ve had their chance, and it’s been long enough. Each of us must take a stand today to make the necessary changes to our Constitution for the sake of our nation’s current and future health. If not for our own lives, we must think of the world we will leave behind for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren if we ignore this call to action. This call should echo as loudly as Paul Revere’s historic warning, “The British are coming.” Yes, it is truly that important.
As I write this column, I have fully committed myself to championing the cause of the Convention of States agenda. There are local chapters right here in Mississippi where you can get involved, attend meetings, and stay informed about their progress toward securing the 34 states needed to convene the convention. To learn more about the efforts currently underway, you can visit their website at conventionofstates.com. This is my opportunity, your opportunity, our opportunity to become patriots like our Founders, who courageously stood against a powerful enemy to secure freedom. Today, we too have the chance to unite and challenge the ruling class that Washington, D.C. has become, much like the British Monarchy of old. Will you stand with me to set our country on the right path? I hope so. I hope to see you in the arena, fighting for the soul of our nation.
