Cal Thomas: A second revolution

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MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Thursday, November 13th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown. WORLD commentator Cal Thomas says it’s time for the states to do something constructive to rein in Congress.

CAL THOMAS: Had enough of the consequences reverberating from the record-setting government "shutdown"? Ready to do something about it?

This is an ideal time to recall a slogan from the 1960s: "Power to the people." We need a second American revolution…not with guns or violence, but by a provision in the Constitution the Founders thought necessary should we arrive at a moment like this. That would be the state legislatures calling a convention of states to take back the power from Washington and put the government behind its original boundaries.

In its first paragraph the Declaration of Independence gives permission for such a revolution. It says: "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

Granted, that was originally about a separation from our British overlords. Today it should mean a separation from the dysfunctional Congress, leading to a reformation of the federal government, which has betrayed the intentions of the Founders.

Article 5 of the U.S. Constitution allows for a constitutional convention of states with the approval of three-quarters of state legislatures. One grassroots nonprofit organization that advocates for a convention of states reports that 19 state legislatures have passed resolutions calling for a convention. Eight more have passed a resolution in at least one legislative chamber. The approval of 34 state legislatures is required.

The arguments against a convention include it might get out of control and damage the Constitution and the country. That is easily dealt with by limiting the convention to a short list of reforms, such as requiring a balanced budget and term limits.

Arguments in favor of a convention of states include that if Congress is not curbed now, it will only get worse—including the $38 trillion debt. Congress has demonstrated it is unwilling to give up the power it has accrued for itself.

Members of the House and Senate are not going to voluntarily relinquish their powers and perks. They are like a child with tooth decay who needs to have candy withheld from him. So too must the "candy" of spending and debt be removed from the hands of politicians before the country decays beyond repair.

As I wrote in "America's Expiration Date," the history of great nations is replete with examples that caused their decline. Massive national debt is one of them. We can't escape the lessons of history, any more than we can escape the consequences of gravity after jumping from a tall building. Halfway down we might regret our decision, but that won’t change the consequences. The street below remains a certainty.

We are teetering at the edge of a tall building. If we don't reconsider, turn around and come down, we will ultimately regret the consequences. If we wait much longer to address reform it will be too late and the time for repair will have passed. A convention of states appears to be the only answer.

Looking at the liberal groups who oppose it may be reason enough to persuade 15 more legislatures to follow the example of the 19 that have already given their approval. It will be difficult, as many of the remaining legislatures that must approve a resolution promote more government, not less. But the first revolution wasn’t easy either, and look how that turned out.

I’m Cal Thomas.

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