- A behind-the-scenes effort to force Congress to call a convention to amend the Constitution could end up helping President Donald Trump in his push to expand presidential power — or even run for a third term.
- The effort to amend the Constitution predates Trump’s second term but carries new weight as several members of the president’s inner circle have expressed support for a convention to limit federal government spending and power.
- A draft lawsuit obtained by WisconsinWatch and ProPublica argues Congress must call a convention. Liberal and conservative legal scholars have criticized the arguments in it, calling them “wild,” “completely illegitimate” and “deeply flawed.”
- Some states’ requests for a constitutional convention date back centuries. “It is absurd, on the face of it, that they could count something that had to do with Prohibition as a call for a constitutional convention in 2025,” former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, said.
balanced budget amendment
The federal government has achieved fiscal balance (even surpluses) in just seven periods since 1776, bringing in enough revenue to cover all of its spending during 1817-21, 1823-36, 1852-57, 1867-73, 1880-93, 1920-30 and 1998-2001. We have also experienced six depressions. They began in 1819, 1837, 1857, 1873, 1893 and 1929.
Do you see the correlation?
The one exception occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the dot-com and housing bubbles fueled a consumption binge that delayed the harmful effects of the Clinton surpluses until the Great Recession of 2007-09.
Because:
National debt is not like individual debt.
National debt is not like individual debt.
National debt is NOT like individual debt!
But at least our most senior treasury officials must understand this, right?
Key Takeaways
The national debt is composed of distinct types of debt, similar to an individual whose debt may consist of a mortgage, car loan, and credit cards.
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Can you, uh, remind everyone why that is? I obviously know, but for all those people that need to hear it again?
Good point.
If you like video format: Finding The Money is a great documentary on how sovereign currency has worked historically, how it works in the US right now, why the national debt and spending deficits aren’t (necessarily, by themselves) something to worry about, and what to worry about instead: inflation, physical resources, and labor utilization.
If you prefer reading: “Retiring the US debt would retire the US dollar” by Cory Doctorow is a good short read, and Stephanie Kelton has a book The Deficit Myth which I’ve heard is good too.
I don’t know how to make people understand the difference between personal and national debt. It’s frustrating
Peeps like to talk about reforming this crusty old slave pact to make it more democratic, etc…
But in reality the only “reform” is going to be more fascism. That’s the whole point of the system.
Harris won 20 states. The traitors need 34 states to even propose a constitutional convention, and 38 states must ratify any proposed amendments.
Repubs can fuck off and die. Slowly, painfully. While I munch tariffed popcorn. Fucking traitors.
After the cloture vote we just saw, it’s less far fetched that just enough democrats will go along with it.
Honestly I felt like this for a long time but Schumer and other dems capitulating has me worried. Civil war is looking like a best case scenario pipe dream the way things are developing. I expect this summer to be intense, crazy, and potentially the last chance ‘we the people’ have to stand up.
Of course nothing will happen, legally. What will happen is it rally up his supporters and just by the nature of people supporting the ideas, he’ll do stuff on the idea that he has some mandate that will become Constitutional one day. He’s already doing things that are far past his power legally and morally, even going against active judicial demands. Why is he going to wait for the actual legality of it all?
It would fail if they tried today. But after 3-7 more years of eroding voting rights, empowering intimidation and misinformation groups, and emplacing loyal people in state governments? I think they could get all 50 states. He’s going to run for a third term regardless because it’s obvious by now that nobody will stop him, but having the amendment in place will be a fitting capstone to his power grab.
Such a fucking tragedy that a particular kid didn’t have such terrible fucking aim. Of course I’m talking about Ralphie, he almost put his eye out.
This is suspicious as fuck
Obama 2028
