Meeting seeks to inform public about Article V of the United States Constitution

An informational meeting was held on Saturday, February 13 at the Evangelical Free Church in Philip, S.D. Harvey Fitzgerald, Convention of States (COS) District Captain, opened up the meeting, asking for a moment of prayer. The prayer was delivered by Chris Stewart, pastor of the E-Free Community Church. The prayer was followed up with reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Fitzgerald first explained who the COS is. He said that the COS   is a seven million patriot, grassroots movement to help restore a responsible Constitutional Republic. “Our Founding Fathers were geniuses,” he said. “They gave us an opportunity that no other country has, other than what we’ve been born to here in the United States,” he added. Fitzgerald said that the power of the government comes from the majority of the people. “From time to time we may have to give them more, we may have to take some back. But it comes from we the people,” he said. The purpose of the government is to protect every individuals inalienable rights. Fitzgerald said, “those rights come from God and they are given to us. It was not given to us by a government who can change them, and then take them back. Our rights come from God.”
Fitzgerald stressed that this movement is not anti-government, but that it does recognize that the government has expanded beyond the limits of the Constitution and that the government cannot fix itself.
Fitzgerald said the movement aims to use the Constitution in order to strengthen the Constitution in order to pass the torch to the younger generation(s). Fitzgerald also highlighted portions of the Declaration of Independence and eight immutable rights that come from within it.
Fitzgerald discussed the purpose of Congress,  what responsibilities were given to Congress by the people, also known as the Enumerated powers, and how that responsibility is laid out within the Constitution. He highlighted the first five Articles of the Constitution, with Article V (five) being the main focus.
Fitzgerald highlighted how the government has “broken its contract” with the citizens of the United States. He highlighted that there is currently over $27 trillion dollars (estimated to continue growing) in national debt and $159 trillion in unfunded liabilities. Fitzgerald offered insight, explaining that the portion that would be owed, would total  $222,000 and $481,000 per U.S. citizen, respectively.
Fitzgerald transitioned back to Article V of the Constitution, and said that it is the only Article that was unanimously approved. Article V was not only approved by the framers, then the signers, but it was also ratified by 1,648 delegates. Fitzgerald called Article V the “enforcement clause to the contract (Constitution)”. By using Article V of the Constitution, Fitzgerald said that the following three things will be (and can only be) discussed at a Convention of States:
•Term limits on Federal Officials
•Impose Fiscal Restraints
•Limit Federal Government Overreach
To view the full informational meeting, visit the Ravellette Publications, Inc. Facebook Page. More information surrounding the Convention of States Action, what it is and why it is important, ran in the February 11, 2021 issue of the Pioneer Review.