Eleven percent! That is right, that is a significant number because only 11 percent of Americans approve of the job that the US Congress is doing. Eleven percent! That means Republican, Democrat, Independent, it doesn’t matter, feels Congress is failing us, the U.S. Citizens.
George Washington the founding father of our great country said that “If in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers is ever in any particular wrong, let that wrong be corrected by amendment to the constitution but let there be NO change by usurpation. I as a state representative must take back the powers that have been stolen by the federal government. It is our duty and our responsibility to listen to the people we represent.
America’s Founders predicted that our country would someday face a crisis as we face now. They also predicted that if Congress were part of the problem, Congress would probably not act to fix it. So, they added a procedure to the Constitution to allow the state legislatures to bypass Congress and address the issue directly.
Real solutions to America’s problems can be found in the states—America’s fifty laboratories of democracy—not in one-size fits all federal government policies that disregard regional differences and local community needs.
A convention of the states was, and is, a state delegation of commissioners who are responsible to their respective state legislature and are selected, chosen, and instructed as their state legislatures determine.
George Mason of Virginia observed that Congress might become oppressive and refuse to propose corrective amendments—particularly amendments limiting its own power. So, by a unanimous vote of the states, the delegates added an amendments convention to allow the states to bypass Congress. The final wording of Article V is mostly the work of James Madison. The principal reason for the Article V convention process is to enable the states to check an oppressive or runaway federal government— although the Constitution does not actually limit the process to that purpose. The Framers explicitly designed the process to enable the states to substantially bypass Congress.
Madison as one of the first statements after Article V of the Constitution was proposed said, “The State Legislatures will jealously and closely watch the operations of the national government and the state legislatures will be able to resist with more effect every assumption of power better than any power on Earth can do and because of this the State legislatures are the sure guardians of the people’s liberty.
We have the opportunity right here and now to redeclare our independence right now with a document and not a gun or a pitchfork we can re-establish the divisions and the limits of power right now without a war or a battle and under the rule of law.
Those who declare that this is too dangerous, you are just using old-fashioned scare tactics to confuse and scare those who would support this measure with all their heart. The Constitution is perfect and it has the answer and that answer is Article V Convention of States. Is it not Divine Providence that helped to craft the Constitution? Is it all of the Constitution, except Article V that was written through Divine Providence? No, the entire Constitution was written through Divine Providence, as were the 27 Amendments to that Constitution.
Rep Wills, I would like to thank you for your leadership and for fighting for the people of Iowa. Washington is broken, Congress has turned the legislating over to the unelected fourth branch of government. Presidents use executive actions to bypass congress. The Federal government is ten times too big, spending way too much, we are over taxed and our kids and grandkids are going to pay for it in terms of their standard of living. Unfortunately some of your colleagues are satisfied with the current state of affairs. They do not realize, it does not have to be this way. Washington ignores the Constitution, so they need direction in the form of Constitutional amendments to help them stay in their lane. Balanced budget, term limits, flat tax, time limits on executive actions, review of federal agencies every third year with up/down vote by Congress. Protection of individual rights, limited government. You get it, too bad others are more afraid of what might happen than concerned about what is happening. Don’t give up the fight, this is certainly worth fighting for. Scott Bates, Co-Chair Republican Party of Dallas County Iowa
This well-written piece is proof of Rep. Wills’ perspective being based on truth and wisdom, which one wishes more people serving the public at the state and federal levels of government would possess and share. Thank you for your strong leadership in the Legislature, and for being an exemplary public servant.