Old North News

Conservatives are frustrated by President Biden’s $6.8 trillion budget – nearly double the amount of projected revenue. U.S. debt is now $28 trillion and rising quickly, and we have an economy so riddled with technical regulations that it smothers ideas that would otherwise become successful small businesses. 

It is very frustrating when we send “good people” to D.C. and they fail. It is time for “We, the people,” to impose real, meaningful restraints on D.C. with a constitutional amendment. 

The best way to control spending is to use Article V of the Constitution. Article V allows the states to propose constitutional amendments. 

When 34 state legislatures agree, it triggers a meeting called a “convention for proposing amendments.” The proposals for amendments by the state delegations must then be ratified by 38 states.

A few months ago, our North Carolina House passed a resolution (HJR 233) for a convention to propose amendments that do three things: impose fiscal restraints on Washington, limit its power and jurisdiction, and set term limits for federal officials (like judges and bureaucrats). That resolution is now pending in the North Carolina Senate.

The people of North Carolina overwhelmingly favor this practical and constitutional way to finally reduce spending and avoid inflation. 

A recent poll indicates that 62% of North Carolinian voters, across party lines, support this approach. This number is consistent with polling that has been done throughout the nation.

The people’s support for this movement, known as “The Convention of States” (COS), is not only broad – it’s deep. 

In North Carolina alone, constituents have sent nearly 75,000 petitions to our state legislators, who are the only ones empowered to use this powerful reform tool and to work for the passage of HJR 233.

The fate of the resolution now lies in the hands of our state senators. If COS passes, North Carolina will join 15 other states that have already done so. We would be one state closer to the 34 required to trigger the meeting of the century. 

I imagine the Founders would be cheering for us, relieved that we finally had the courage to use the convention of states to provide a desperately needed “check” on federal growth.

Please urge your North Carolina state senator to vote yes on HJR 233.

This letter to the editor was originally published on The North State Journal and reprinted with permission from the author.