Article V NOW – OpEd 2

Faith in Article V Demands Action from the States

By Thomas Llewellyn*

Protecting the rights of everyday Americans is central to limiting the reach of the federal government. Yet as Congress continues reckless deficit spending and expands burdensome regulation, a pressing question remains: beyond the courts, who is left to defend those rights?

The answer is . . . the States. They are the Constitution’s intended guardians of liberty—including economic liberty—and the moment now demands decisive action.

America’s promise of the “pursuit of happiness” is increasingly threatened by runaway federal spending. This path is widely recognized as unsustainable, yet Washington remains unable—or unwilling—to correct course. History warns us what follows: many once-great nations collapse under the weight of debt and unfunded obligations.

Fortunately, the Framers anticipated such peril. Article V of the Constitution exists precisely for moments when Congress refuses to act. It empowers the States—independent of Congress—to propose constitutional amendments. This authority is rare among nations and vital to preserving self-government.

As the nation nears a fiscal tipping point, state legislators and citizen advocates have made historic progress toward convening an Article V Convention of States to propose a Fiscal Responsibility Amendment. An independent audit confirms that the constitutional threshold of 34 state applications was met in 1979 and remains valid until a convention is convened. Congress has acknowledged receipt of these applications but has failed for nearly half a century to issue the required call.

The Supreme Court has already clarified the matter. In Dillon v. Gloss (1921), the Court recognized that Article V thresholds are activated upon consummation—the moment the final state acts—and that subsequent congressional actions are merely ceremonial.

It is time for the States to stop asking Congress to do its job. They must either jointly announce the convention or authorize their Attorneys General to compel Congress through the courts.

Faith in our Constitution matters—but faith without action is meaningless. The States must act now. The future of the nation depends on it.

*BIO – Thomas Llewellyn is a lifelong advocate for fiscal policy reform and Constitutional integrity. He is editor of Fix The Debt Gazette, a founding member of STOP Inflating US and the Federal Fiscal Responsibility Foundation.

Please comment freely. See also: https://huntforliberty.com/article-v-now/