OHIO
The Precedent for Westward Expansion
Ohio’s significant place in the history of the republic predates the Revolutionary War. The first state from the Northwest Territory to be admitted to the union, Ohio set the precedent for westward expansion, saw major battles during the War of 1812, and played a vital role in the Underground Railroad. Seven U.S. presidents were born in Ohio, and it was Ohio natives who became the first human beings to orbit the Earth and set foot on the Moon. The story of Ohio exemplifies American ideals of bold exploration, liberty, and self-governance—exactly the ideals that fuel the movement for an Article V convention.
While the Trump administration is doing what it can to freeze or eliminate out-of-control the regulation, micromanagement, and waste of the federal government, keep in mind that President Trump attempted to do the same during his first term.
Then his successor wiped it all out with executive orders.
Trump has in turn revoked many of those dictates with executive orders of his own.
But is this executive order ping pong—where change is temporary—the way to govern?
Any president or administration can reinstitute the kind of overreach that chokes the life out of the law-abiding citizen. Such an order of operation does not resemble limited republican government in any way, shape, or form.
As Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in Democracy in America, the accumulation and ruthless enforcement of regulations and rules by distant bureaucrats over a supposedly freeborn people:
“…covers the surface of society with a network of small and complicated rules…The will of man is not shattered, but softened, bent, and guided; men are seldom forced by it to act, but they are constantly restrained from acting. Such a power…compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.”
How does an Article V convention work?
Step 1
The People Lead
Citizens ask state legislators to sponsor and support an Article V Convention Resolution.
Step 2
State Legislators Act
A state legislator sponsors the resolution and files it in his/her state legislature.
The resolution passes out of committee and floor votes in both chambers of the state legislature.
Step 3
Convention Called
When 34 states pass the resolution, the state legislatures choose commissioners to represent them at the convention.
States send as many commissioners as they choose, but each state only gets one vote.
Step 4
Amendments Proposed
Commissioners propose, debate, and vote on amendments limited to the language of the resolution. Proposed amendments outside of that agenda would be out of order.
Proposed amendments passed by a majority of state delegations are sent to the states for ratification.
Step 5
Amendments are Ratified
Proposed amendments only become valid if ratified by 38 states.
It only takes 13 states to stop a bad amendment from being ratified.
Step 6
The Constitution
is Amended
