Meeting Public Comments

Michael Fame [Myself As A Citizen On A National Issue]

My name is Michael Fame and Im in support of an Article V Convention of States. Currently the resolution has been passed in 19 states and the great state of Iowa has the opportunity to become #20. Of the 27 constitutional amendments that have been ratified, they all needed 75% approval from the states. 75% is the highest threshold in all of US Government. Any amendments that are proposed from an Article V Convention, would still need the 75% approval. This is a fact that opponents always fail to mention. Also keep in mind, that this convention will be limited to only 3 subjects of discussion and that any discussion not pertaining to those subjects will be dismissed. Many of the states that have passed the application, have made convention laws, making the commissioners the legislators themselves. The founding fathers strongly believed in states rights, because the state legislatures have the closest connection to the people. The federal government should be acting upon the wishes of the states, not the other way around. The framers knew that congress may not propose amendments that would go against their own power. This is why they created another method to propose amendments, as a check and balance on the federal government. The last time congress successfully proposed an amendment against themselves, was over 230 years ago. Alexander Hamilton stated in Federalist 85 on the convention of states topic, we may safely rely on the disposition of state legislatures to erect barriers against the encroachments of the national authority. Besides Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson, Mason and many other founding fathers, President Abraham Lincoln supported the convention method and preferred it, as proposals originated from the people, compared to just accepting or rejecting amendment proposals from others (Congress). Even though all of our constitutional amendments have been proposed by congress, 17 out of the 33 proposals started with state applications to hold an article v convention on those topics. The reason we have our valued and sacred Bill of Rights (which are add ons to the constitution), is due to New York and Virginia initially passing an Article V Convention application for a Bill of Rights. We need 15 more states to hold the convention or like many past amendments, Congress may instead be pressured to act with amendment proposals, as more states join like Iowa. We need to hold the federal government accountable and to fix our current system. 49 out of 50 state legislatures have balanced budget requirements and 43 out of 50 have single subject bill requirements in their constitutions. If over 75% of states have to be accountable to the people, so should the federal government. As was said in Field of Dreams, if you build it, they will come. We have an opportunity to create true change in our national government. I ask that Iowa be part of history and support this resolution. Thank you.