Tri-City Sun

Volunteers of a grassroots organization intend to walk the Tri-City area and promote petitions that would limit the power of the federal government.

The Convention of States Action (COSA) is a political organization, with over five million supporters across the country, which endorses amendments that impose limitations on the size and scope of the federal government and you may soon be hearing from them.

Laurie Sallans, the state block walking captain for the Convention of States (COS), said volunteers would “knock on doors in neighborhoods to inform others of our mission to build a grass roots army and to get petitions signed.”

“We want to let people know that we have a solution to take our country back,” she said. “The Founding Fathers wanted to have a Convention of States to reign in the power of the Federal Government. We want States to call for an Article V convention limited to proposing constitutional amendments that (will) impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government (and) limit the terms of office for federal officials, bureaucrats and members of Congress.”

According to their website, the Michigan COS will be utilizing its block walking programs to reach out to like minded individuals who support an Article V convention of the states.

Sallans added that they receive a lot of interest from people who are dissatisfied with how the federal government is using its power and spending.

“They feel a sense of hope when we tell them why we are block walking,” she said. “We find about 99% of the people who answer their door have never heard of (the)  Convention of States. It is very rewarding when they thank you for taking the time to help save our country.”

Sallans said they had three events planned this month in the neighborhoods around Stockridge, Adrian and Dundee Michigan and “there are other groups planning block walks around the state.”

“Andrew Barkman at COS started a national rollout for block walking this year,” she said. “He is rolling it out in several states and hopes to see many more block walk volunteers getting petitions signed all over the country.”

Rita Dunaway, the senior vice president of legislative affairs for the national COS team, told the Hawkeye Reporter in an interview that "Our Convention of State resolution proposes amendment on the three subject matters, which include imposing fiscal restraints on Washington, limiting federal power and jurisdiction and setting term limits for  federal officials

The COS utilizes an amending convention, not a constitutional convention as the constitutional convention strives to revise the framework of government and deliver a new constitution as opposed to an amending convention only offers specific amendments to the existing constitution, according to their website. 

The amendments would then need ratification by 38 states in order to be a part of the constitution.

Individuals interested in the organization's efforts can sign petitions online at conventionofstates.com.