PragerU: How The States Can Save America

In a new Prager University short video, “How The States Can Save America,” former South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint explains how the States can drain the ever-expanding swamp in Washington, D.C.

“The federal government has become a lumbering giant,” said DeMint. “With each passing year, it gets bigger and scarier. In 1965, Washington was $761 billion big. In 2016 … it was 3.5 trillion – five times the size.”

He continues, “If the government spent only the money it collected in taxes, that would be one thing. But it always spends more­­ … which is why we’re $20 trillion dollars in debt. That’s 13 zeroes. Count ‘em: Thirteen. But the crazy spending isn’t even the worst of it. Washington is involved in every part of our lives.”

The former Republican lawmaker explains how the government is involved with every aspect of your life, from buying a car to buying groceries.

“The government has its hands on your shoulder if not your throat,” DeMint warns.

So how do we solve this problem? The obvious answer is for Congress to come together and pass amendments with the approval of the states in conjunction with the first half of the Article 5 of the Constitution. Unfortunately, that does not work, as most lawmakers want to hold onto the power they are give.

There is another solution, DeMint underscores. The second half of Article 5 states, “on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments.”

“Congress must call a convention to amend the Constitution if two-thirds of the states, that’s 34 states, demand it,” says DeMint. “The time has come to demand it. The time has come to propose amendments that will restore meaningful limits on federal power and authority. The time has come for a convention of states.”

He continues, “Here’s how it would work: Once the 34 states call a convention, all 50 states send a delegate to represent their interests. For any constitutional amendments proposed, each state gets one vote. And an amendment only passes out of the convention and to the states for ratification if a majority of the states’ delegates vote in the affirmative. In this scenario, Congress has no say. It is completely in the hands of the states, which means it’s a whole lot closer to the hands of the people.”

The convention of states proposes several amendments, including term limits for members of Congress, limits on spending, and keeping Congress from exempting itself from laws it passes.

“The time is now,” says DeMint.

Watch the video below:

To learn more about the Convention of States, click here.