It is time to very clearly ask the question: What must the Federal government provide and what should the Feds provide. This responsibility defined in 1787 with the Constitution has been widely expanded especially since 1933 and WWII.

First, Everyone with half an understanding of this country and its history knows that the primary function of Feds is to provide for common defense, to protect the USA from all enemies foreign and domestic (today especially). Everyone should agree that this country that calls itself the USA has clearly defined borders and that those borders must be SECURE from the crossing of Illegal Aliens. The extremely obvious conclusion for securing the border would include an impenetrable wall which was not required in the past until Mexicans and Central Americans realized how foolish, stupid, and charitable the American patsies are.

Second, just as any flourishing, fiduciary company or financially responsible person must do, i.e., balance and adhere to their annual budgets, it its time for the clowns in CONgress and the Executive to cease their irresponsible behavior with the monies of the USA. We need a Balanced Budget Amendment. We MUST HAVE conservative, responsible spending excluding anything that is not necessary. Social Security and Medicare MUST BE PRIVATIZED with strict government regulation.

Third, the CONgress passes "Omnibus Bills" consisting of thousands and thousands of pages for the reading enjoyment of all one hour before final release to the public and the president. This dirty little trick has been used for decades to prevent the reading of various Bills that created boondoggle Agencies since 1933 and is directly responsible for America's strangling debt today. CONgress has been passing Bills to see what's in them for decades. Few people read these voluminous Bills because of the volume of pages and the legalease jibberish that almost requires a paralegal to understand the Bill. Of course, this is the whole purpose of producing a 3000 page Bill with one day before it hits the President's desk. This is how "Obamacare" was passed. Remember this phrase: "We have to pass the Bill so we can see what's in it..."?

This CONgress and future CONgresses MUST PASS many short Bills each of which consists of one (and only one) important topic and less than 20 pages spaced over time during each year. The House passes individual budget Bills and individual appropriation Bills, but the Senate has to add all sorts of perquisites that are an excessively, irresponsible waste of money just to appease the Socialist malcontents in the Senate. This must stop! The US Federal Government has indebted America to the tune of $21 Trillion, an unfathomable amount of money which devalues the dollar and steals buying-power from each citizen's dollar. The best possible long term fix for the Senate is to eliminate the 60 vote rule and make all votes a simple majority vote to get important, money-saving accomplishments for the future of America. The WALL with new technology and personnel, for example, is estimated to cost $25 Billion plus annual maintenance. The cost of Illegal Aliens in America is precisely estimated to be $134.9 Billion per year. The Wall will pay for itself in the time it takes to remove Illegals from American soil. If the CONgress thinks in a frugal, cost-saving manner instead of its current spendthrift nature, then America will be better off tomorrow.

FROM Wow! Magazine I think it�s worth remembering something Ronald Reagan said at the last debate against the incumbent Jimmy Carter a week before the 1980 election. Here�s what then candidate Reagan said: "Next Tuesday is Election Day. Next Tuesday all of you will go to the polls, will stand there in the polling place and make a decision. I think when you make that decision, it might be well if you would ask yourself, are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we�re as strong as we were four years ago? And if you answer all of those questions yes, why then, I think your choice is very obvious as to whom you will vote for. If you don�t agree, if you don�t think that this course that we�ve been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another choice that you have." We�ve lived under 8 years of Obama and are [were] considering his acolyte [Hillary] to add at least 4 more. Are you better off today than you were 8 years ago? [Editor's Note: So far with just 1 year and 3 months of President Trump, we are very much better off. Trump has engineered: the rescission of 22 old, freedom-and-economy-killing regulations for every new regulation. The Federal Register is shriveling! With CONgress, taxes have been cut for most American citizens, and, more importantly for America's future greatness, the significant reduction of taxes for Corporations, LLCs, and Proprietorships. Subsequently, many businesses have rewarded loyal employees with bonuses and/or fortified pensions and healthcare insurance (at least 400 companies). Decreased taxation will work through the economy and increase spending, saving, and investing. The economy grows when government enables citizens to experience the feeling of success when they can keep their earnings. Without CONgress [primarily because of Senate Democrats (Socialist subversives)] and despite the DEEP STATE, President Trump has ordered a Wall-of-National-Guard-troops who will remain at the border until CONgress agrees to fund the Wall. The WALL is a one-time $25 billion investment in materials, technology, and personnel that will pay for itself before 1/3 of Illegal Aliens are deported because Illegal Aliens cost the USA $135 billion every year Illegals remain on American soil. Unfair worldwide tariffs are beginning to fall so that America can trade with other countries reciprocally. After WWII, America rebuilt Europe so we could have future trading partners. Now our European partners show their gratitude by erecting unfair tariff barriers. Tariffs HURT all consumers.

Instead of working two days per week in Washington followed by junkets paid for by lobbyists, CONgress should work a full five days per week for six months, then go home to their State and find out how they can fix their own state working with their State Legislature and Governor. At least two regions of the country, the Northeast and the Far West consist of States that could be reformed to become Federalist, Capitalist, more conservative, and law-abiding States again. Senators who stay at home six months of every year might relinquish some of their Socialist dogma and realize their State's failures that led to socialist programs and almost bankrupt indebtedness. As future financially strong States again, they could function without the quid pro quo federal handouts and/or unfunded mandates. Currently, States and the Feds tax and regulate their parasitic source of income from companies and employees both of whom earn money by producing and selling goods and services. Full-blown Socialism would strangle and suffocate the capitalist source of the government's income until the companies (Golden Geese) fail. This has happened to many of America's companies precisely because of "strangling" taxes and regulations. If one requires an example of how Socialism destroys, one need only look at Venezuela today.

In his book entitled "The Liberty Amendments", Mark Levin wrote about the 17th Amendment: "AN AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. Constitution that was sold as a cleansing and tranformative expansion of popular democracy is actually an object lesson in the malignancy of the Progressive mind-set and its destructive impact on the way we practice self-government in a twenty-first century, post-constitutional nation." Prior to the 17th Amendment, State Legislatures appointed their Senators to go to Washington and represent their State. If an appointed Senator failed to represent their State but instead becomes a nationally recognized personality who promotes national, centralized, bureaucratic federal government instead of Federalism and representing their State, the State Legislature could replace the appointed Senator at any time with a Senator who is more focused on the State from whence he comes.

By the way, Mark Levin is a leader (since 2010) and advocate of the Constitution's Article V, Convention of States to propose Amendments to the Constitution that each States' delegates to the Convention expect with high probability would be ratified by their respective State Legislatures. Balanced Budget Amendment, Term Limits, repeal of the existing 16th Amendment (federal income tax), and limits on annual budget increases except during a CONgressionally declared war are popular proposals.

04 DEC 2014: Mark Levin, Why Convention of States?

During the Obama Era (January 20, 2009 � January 20, 2017), the "Deep State" was expanded to the point of almost controling America by authoritative bureaucracy—NOT ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. Such control by bureaucracy only occurs in Socialist or Communist States. No matter which of the political parties wins or loses, the unelected bureaucracy remains and expands its power over WE the PEOPLE! The CoS movement to restore America to a limited federal government has many proponents and advocates. They all see (including myself) that the federal government will NEVER revert to the limitations of the Constitution. One of these advocates has written a book entitled The Liberty Amendments. Read the Appendix of his book, an exact copy, that lists Mark's Liberty Amendments and the Sections of each. Much legal research, study, and hard work went into this book's preparation as concluded by study of Mark's Notes and Bibliography. Everyone interested in the essential knowledge required for being a Convention of States delegate can be found in Mark's book, The Liberty Amendments.

CoS founder, Mark Meckler along with Dr. Tom Coburn (former Sen.) and Jim Demint (former Sen.) provide the organization that informs We the People about the Convention of States alternative expressed in Article V of the Constitution. We the People through our respective State Legislatures can propose Amendments to the Constitution in a Convention (instead of U.S. CONgress) to be ratified eventually by 75% of State Legislatures.

"...phony world of politics." An obvious reference to DOJ, FBI, DNC, Bill/Hillary, Muellar with his gang of angry Democrat/Socialist lawyers, 2010 CFIUS members, Socialist Democrats in CONgress, et. al.

Surely, anyone who observes and understands current events with a background knowledge of Progressivism, Socialism, Communism, and our own failed governmental system of Federalism can see with clarity that our current federal government since 1933 is progressing toward Socialism. Our country is a Warfare/Welfare State that is financed and heavily regulated on the backs of companies and citizen taxpayers. The Democrats (Socialists) import illegal prospective voters from south of the border who vote illegally and get paid by citizen taxpayers. While the U.S. fights the enemies of allies ostensibly to keep enemies from our shores, the U.S. should demand that allies defend themselves more—WWII is over. Sell U.S. weaponry to allies that is appropriate for their current disputes or skirmishes with enemies and provide training if necessary. See How to Make America Great Again. Obviously, something must be done about: our CONgress' insolvent spending behavior, and our career politicians (limit 12yrs), lifetime court appointees (limit 12yrs), and after firing 50% of federal employees (without replacing) based on past performance and skill levels, future bi-annual performance appraisals determine who is promoted/terminated, limit employment to 20yrs, and require federal employees to contribute 65% with government 35% for retirement pension savings, 50%/50% for health insurance, and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 didn't REFORM anything. It created the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), and the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), and all of these bureaucracies are corrupted by unions since most employees of bureaucracies are union members, and therefore, all venues for appeal of termination should be condensed into one, independent, non-government, private, non-profit organization that uses the very latest technology to evaluate all appeals of termination and renders a FINAL opinion. Politics, sexual or any other harassment, skills deficit, abrasive personality are all reasons for termination or not and would be considered in deliberations. Government CANNOT investigate itself objectively, and prohibit all government employee union activities on the job, i.e., if union activity, then must occur in union meetings off-site in union buildings only, and our southern border must be secured against the hordes of Illegal Aliens with an impenetrable WALL, and an Executive Order denying "Birthright Citizenship" to children born of Illegal Aliens (foreigners) (see 14th Amendment), and our bogus immigration laws, e.g., Chain Migration, Visa Lottery, Catch & Release, bogus claims of Entrepreneurship, and phony Asylum requests must be repealed, and our current Illegal Aliens should be arrested, photographed, printed, DNA-sampled, and deported. Two-time offenders should be incarcerated, and The propensity to violence is not caused by poverty alone, but, in the case of Mexico in particular and the Southern Hemisphere in general, there is a history of violence as far back as Cortez and the Spanish Conquistadores. Before the Spanish, Incas in Central and South America and the Aztecs in Mexico were very violent. With Mexico, in particular, the Aztecs and their religion were very violent. Today, Mexican drug cartels ravage Mexico with their lawless grip on Mexicans. It is no wonder that Illegal Aliens bring violence to America. Today and throughout history, religions of all flavors are the primary cause of violence throughout the world and its history. our INDEPENDENT agencies that generate freedom-restricting regulations, and our obsolete agencies that merely provide make-work employment, and our CONgress that created independent agencies but doesn't have enough power to oversee or change them, and our corrupt public schools (make them all tuition-driven private schools, eliminate school Boards, eliminate school taxes). See American Subversive Teachers, and our universities that allow students to violate the 1st Amendment must be sanctioned, and our universities' policies of tenure for professors should have an end-date for non-productive professors, and our "gun free zones" must be eliminated, and Concealed Carry Reciprocity (includes training) must be the law of the land so that "maniac shooters" can be stopped immediately, and our government(s) must fully support the Constitution including 1st and 2nd Amendments subject to sanction (California), and our Federal Reserve (Keynesian economics) that consistently causes recessions or exacerbates the normal boom-bust business cycle, and our Income Tax that should be replaced with a Sales Tax requiring a 75% majority in CONgress to increase the tax percent. Income Tax is PUNISHMENT for SUCCESS. A sales tax paid by consumers only taxes consumption. Since no citizen would pay income tax, then only consumption is taxed. Untaxed companies would have more money to lower prices. Citizens would have more money to pay the sales tax and school tuition. Maybe citizens would prefer saving over buying? The list goes on...

The general reason for a Convention of States is to restore America's weak central government and either abolish Agencies or move them to States where needed. States created the Federal government in 1787, and the Feds should do only what the Constitution allows them to do. Anything not defined in the Constitution for the Feds is the responsibility of States (10th Amendment). We have the private consortium of banks—nothing is federal about the Federal Reserve—creating money-from-thin-air which violates the Constitution's requirement for gold (1933 FDR cancelled the Gold Standard domestically and 1971 Nixon refuses to exchange the US dollar for gold—inflation was unrestrained at 8-19%). Income Tax is direct taxation which the Constitution never permited until the 16th Amendment was ratified three days before Xmas in 1913. The Feds had realized in the late 1800s that punishing citizens for their success was a very lucrative method of financing the king's government. It's time to put the Feds in their place. We are NOT BETTER OFF with a monstrous, wasteful government that violates our rights (lately the FBI and DOJ; the irony of this crime).

Lastly, if Presidents can't adhere to their own internal rules that they have established for their presidency, then any president who fails to understand that they have been FORCED to sign a Bill that normally would not pass their Veto, then such a president should officially announce the reason for his resignation or fight CONgress until he gets what he wants without the perqs (pork) even if it means a prolonged shutdown of a month or two. Laws should be passed to ensure that the military is paid during a shutdown and the laws should legally redefine "shutdown furloughs" as furlough without pay for all DEEP STATE subversives who should be fired anyway.

FROM The Crux A new Congress has been seated, and it brings the prospect of perhaps, maybe, potentially, in a possible way doing something about the runaway federal deficits. And in other news, several New York area bridges are for sale, which you can acquire at a bargain price. Excessive Spending Destroys! Feds Have a Spending Problem — DO NOT RAISE THE CEILING! Feds Have a Sewage Problem! DEBT PERSPECTIVE! Social Security (SS) monies flow into the Feds via paycheck withholding. The Feds buy US Treasuries and the Bond purchase money is deposited into the treasury. Benefit money must therefore be paid out of the Treasury. If there had been a SS brokerage account (instead of the Feds spending it), the monies could have been invested very conservatively to receive a modest 5-8% annual return on investment and the SS "Trust" Fund would be solvent even with retiring baby-boomers. Another mismanagement failure is SS Disability which has been defrauded by mendacious citizen malingerers especially from 2000 to 2016.