Saturday, February 19, 2011

I might be able to get behind this Constitutional Convention

Corresponding action reports on an interesting idea:

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The tremors of change are beginning to shake the nation. Americans are waking up to the way the federal government is overstepping its bounds, whether shoving socialist health care down our throats or spending us into bankruptcy.

Among other stirrings, here in Utah Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, supports an amendment to the Constitution requiring a majority of states to approve any increase in the federal debt ceiling. He's sponsoring a resolution calling for a constitutional convention to propose that to other states.

In at least a half-dozen state legislatures, resolutions have been introduced calling for a convention aimed at passing amendments to require state approval of increases to the debt ceiling.

A convention is also needed to force Congress to balance the budget. The time is ripe: $14 trillion of national debt alarms Americans. Republicans now control more state legislatures than they have since the 1920s. And although that party hasn't always lived up to conservative values, it is gaining more adherents who want to place limits on federal power.
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(Hat tip: Goldwater Institute)

2 comments:

Jay said...

I think we, as the general public, cannot understand the intricacies of the national budget and whether a debt ceiling increase would be totally necessary. A majority succumb to popular opinion and not wanting to raise the limit (even if totally needed). I trust the legislators to make these decisions on our behalf. Why do we call the representatives?

Henry Cate said...

I don't trust our representatives.

They are only human. Nothing special happens when they become our representatives.

I agree there are some details we may not have the complete context for, but I am confident that the principle of it being bad to spend more than you earn applies both to individuals and to countries.