Many Tea party Patriots agree that changes must be made if we are to return our country to the constitutional republic created by the framers and implemented by our founders.  Our system of government was designed to be complicated and cumbersome so as to protect the rights of the people and the individual states.  It is the expansion of federal power by ignoring and circumventing the intended checks and balances provided by our constitution in all branches of our federal government that has eroded our individual and states’ rights.  The list of things that need to be corrected, repealed, overturned or nullified in order to put things right is a long one, and I would not presume to dictate either the content of such a list or the order of importance.  I do suggest that this list of issues requiring redress includes action items for every branch of our government.  Some things should be legislated, some corrected by the Executive branch and some require further judicial action if we intend to affect these changes within the boundaries of our legal government.  Herein lays the problem since the people who are in control, or who are likely to be in control, of our government are no longer responsive to the people who they are supposed to represent. 

We have a very important election coming up and one would like to think that if we change the players they will do the right things and set our country back on the correct path.  History shows us that result is unlikely since it is dependent upon those who hold the power and control the means of wealth to voluntarily reduce their own power and relinquish some of that control as part of making the requisite changes.  We all hope the election will stop the bleeding by terminating the reign of the present administration, but I believe we should have a plan B just in case.

There is another way in which we can return power to the states and the people, a way that is totally within the legal boundaries established by our constitution.  This method is cumbersome by design and requires active participation of at least 37 of the states acting together to force these changes on those elected and appointed representatives that refuse to comply with the wishes of the electorate.  I refer to an Article V amendment convention as requested by application of two-thirds of the individual states.  This proposition would not be easily accomplished and I do not suggest we abandon other means available for seeking redress of these critical issues.  I am suggesting that our elected officials will need some incentive to step up and make the changes we demand.  I am suggesting this incentive take the form of a committee (or a group of committees) formed by representatives from all the states for the purpose of creating and prioritizing our list of issues that must be addressed soon.

Tea Party groups in every state are working to elect better representatives for both state and federal offices.  That is absolutely the correct first step and the preferred approach.  I hope that the ranks of Tea Party Patriots now include some of those elected to State offices and others influential in State government.  If we can assemble a group comprised of three to five motivated patriots from each state into a virtual committee of the whole we might be able to make real change happen in our lifetimes.  This group could segment itself into smaller committees tasked with bringing recommendations to the whole body to be considered for inclusion in a list of issues that would be approved by a majority of states and targeted for action to the appropriate branch of the federal government or to the states for individual but coordinated resolution.  Some issues might require the Article V amendment convention and it is this possibility backed by tacit agreement of at least 37 states that will provide the incentive for our elected representatives to do the right thing for our country for a change.  In addition, this group of states working together can effectively nullify any law or dictate from our federal government, and this does not require an amendment to the constitution.

This working group would not be a constitutional convention but would be focused on determining the most critical issues to be resolved in order to restore our constitutional republic as created by the framers and implemented by our founders.  However, if an Article V amendment convention is required we will already have a consensus among a majority of the individual states regarding what topics such a convention should address.  Such a group of States, all in agreement, is authorized by our constitution to make amendments to our constitution without the approval of Congress, the President or the Judiciary.  The realization that a cohesive group of states is ready to take such action may turn out to be a source of powerful persuasion with our elected federal representatives. 

I welcome your comments and suggestions regarding this bottom up approach.  If you agree and would like to participate please indicate that in your response.  I am hoping the Tea Party groups from each state can convince the right people to participate in such an endeavor.  My sense is we will need to work with both the state legislatures and the state Attorneys General to generate maximum effectiveness.