We Need a Change in our Constitution!

Those of you who read my blog posts know very well that I am distressed at the situation of our country. I am distressed because I see it taking unwise courses in education, foreign affairs, domestic policies, fiscal decisions, etc., etc.

I have been loath to advocate and participate in activities that aim to change the nature of our Constitutional Republic—in other words, I am naturally a conservative; and I want to adhere to systems that have worked well in the past, while continuing to stand for modification of new and potentially constructive change in the society.

Lately, however, I have concluded that our nation needs a more active change in polity and policy in order to maintain the gains we have realized over the years since our Constitution was written in 1787. I fully endorse the principles of our Constitution and the free market economy it has garnered. I admire the freedoms and liberties we have all enjoyed; especially, I have appreciated the freedom to worship the way we see fit. However,…things have gone from bad to worse for us as a culture. The entire world can see the weakness of our system in the bad foreign policy and the fiscal incontinence we have fostered.

For this reason, Nancy and I are endorsing the policies of an organization called the “Convention of States,” an organization attempting to change our Constitution in such a way as to correct the many fallacies that have imbued our way of life. The Convention is a rapidly developing movement in America that is gaining a surprisingly large following. Its aims are as follows:

1)  Balanced budget amendment

2)  A redefinition of the General Welfare Clause (The original view was the federal government could not spend money on any topic within the jurisdiction of the states.)

3)  A redefinition of the Commerce Clause (The original view was that Congress was granted a narrow and exclusive power to regulate shipments across state lines–not all the economic activity of the nation.)

4)  A prohibition of using international treaties and law to govern the domestic law of the United States

5)  A limitation on using Executive Orders and federal regulations to enact laws (since Congress is supposed to be the exclusive agency to enact laws)

6)  Imposing term limits on Congress and the Supreme Court

7)  Placing an upper limit on federal taxation

8)  Requiring the sunset of all existing federal taxes and a super-majority vote to replace them with new, fairer taxes

I do hope that my readers will not think that I have joined the ranks of the radicals of our nation in advocating such changes; but I am becoming desperate when I see so many travesties of basic freedoms and cultural norms all around us. I would ask that each of you who reads this post might take the time to read the web page of the Convention of States just to see the common sense of the changes the Convention advocates.