(John Ransom, Headline USA) As Wisconsin becomes latest state to call for an Article V convention to discuss constitutional reform, one group is saying that the country has already met the threshold for calling for a convention of the states to propose an amendment to the US Constitution that would require government to balance the federal budget.
“Congress in now legally obligated to set a date and time for a convention of states” David Biddulph of Let Us Vote for a Balanced Budget Amendment Citizen’s Campaign (BBA) told Headline USA.
UTAH AND SOUTH CAROLINA URGE CONGRESS TO ‘LET US VOTE’ FOR A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT https://t.co/oSnRq0Yf0X
— EIN Presswire: Press Releases (@EINPresswirePR) January 27, 2022
Biddulph said that depending on how you count, 42-39 states have outstanding applications with Congress to call for a convention.
A document shared by BBA lists 39 states that have called for a convention to propose constitutional amendments, including 18 that specifically have called for a balanced budget amendment dating back as early as 1961 when Wyoming approved the measure.
But that number has increased as several states have also recently applied to Congress for a convention of states that will address fiscal constraints.
“According to the measure, Wisconsin’s legislature seeks to call a convention of states ‘limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress,’” reported the Federalist.
Utah and South Carolina have this month also passed resolutions calling for a convention of states regarding a balanced budget amendment to the constitution.
“The current U.S. fiscal crisis is precisely the kind of dilemma anticipated by the founding fathers when they incorporated Article V in the Constitution,” said Dr. Barry Poulson, emeritus professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
“They anticipated that Congress would find it difficult to exercise restraint, and that special interests could dominate fiscal decisions in ways that threaten the stability of the democratic system,” he noted.
That’s one reason why there is such a rush by states to join the balanced budget movement says BBA. The last two year have seen unprecedented deficit spending that will impact our grandchildren, said Biddulph, especially as interest rate rise from historical lows and begin to normalize.
“On behalf of our granddaughters, we applaud the South Carolina and Utah legislatures for demanding Congress let ‘US’ vote soon, on a state-drafted inflation-fighting, prosperity-producing Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution,” said a statement by Biddulph and his wife Susie, co-founders of BBA as the states became the latest to embrace fiscal restraint against Washington.
Critics of constitutional conventions often worry that an open-ended convention will allow unanticipated changes that could revolutionize rather than improve government.
Taking an approach that limits changes to specific, pre-stated reforms, such as the fiscal conventions call for, helps quell such worries.
BBA said they want Congress to make sure a balanced budget amendment approved by a convention of states is included on the Nov. 15 ballot this year.
BBA contends that since 1979 enough state legislatures had applied for a convention, but Congress has ignored its obligation to set a time and date for one.
“There is no doubt that Congress has failed in its Constitutional duty to count Article V applications,” previously said Biddulph. “At many times throughout our history, the 34-state threshold was reached, and often surpassed. As states realize Congress’ dereliction of duty, they are joining us in demanding the Call to Convention.”
