For this week’s newsletter I wanted to highlight an issue that I am passionate about and am honored to be the lead sponsor for in the Senate. The Article V Convention of States is an effort never tried before in our history. It is an avenue the founders gave us to rein in an out-of-control federal government if it can no longer restrain itself. If 34 states pass resolutions calling for a convention, Congress shall call for a convention for delegates from each state to gather and discuss proposing amendments for the states to ratify or reject to add to the constitution. In order for an amendment to be added, 38 states must vote in favor to ratify a particular amendment. The following is a speech I was honored to give on January 25th during the Convention of States rally at the Capitol:

The Article 5 Convention of States is a paramount tool that our founders gave us to maintain checks and balances on Washington. It is great because really, it’s not a tool, it’s a movement that is driven purely by the people and the states when the Federal government has become irresponsible and can not live within its means.

Finance radio personality and author, Dave Ramsey, says that the first thing someone needs to do if they are in financial trouble is to “feel their money” once again. Do you know why casinos give you poker chips instead of paying everything in cash? It’s because they slowly want to separate the feelings you have to your money. It is easier to spend a chip than it is to spend cash. That is why financial coaches often encourage those in financial trouble to cut up their cards, and to develop new habits in order to regain the value of what their dollar should be.

At the players table in Washington, they forgo even the use of poker chips to spend our tax dollars with. With the stroke of a few pens, and a couple back door deals and handshakes they can spend trillions. Washington has lost the feeling of the value of a dollar for the American public. This is not just any dollar, but your hard-earned dollar.

In 1984, the year I was born, the national debt was $1.5 trillion, 38 percent of the National GDP. Eight years later we can recall the famous presidential election where Ross Perot made his case that the national debt was our nation’s number one threat. He struck a chord with many voters and as a result won the most votes by an independent in recent history. In 2015 our national debt hit $18 trillion – the first time that our debt reached 100 percent of our GDP since World War II. The nation responded by electing President Trump and one of the largest Republican trifectas in recent history.

When we sent all of those Republicans to Washington, I didn’t consider the Convention of States movement’s necessity. I — along with many of you I’d assume — figured the Republicans we sent to Washington would honor their word to us that they would get their fiscal house in order. Regrettably, that trust remains unfulfilled.

Like an average politician, they over-promised and under-delivered. In four short years, the so-called fiscal conservatives we sent to Washington added another $9 trillion dollars of debt. Neighbors and friends, we did our job. We sent to Washington those Republicans that made promises to us. But they failed us. This proves to me that really, the war is not between Democrats and Republicans, but rather a war against main street and the politically connected in Washington.

That is why the Convention of the States is a bipartisan effort. Thankfully, everyone that is here has not given up. Days like today give me so much hope. I have always maintained — since Ross Perot gave his warnings in 1992 — that the national debt was a number one threat facing our country. The day I leave this building from public service I will not look back with regret and say I didn’t do something about this threat. This effort to call a Convention of States is the strongest message we can send to Washington. It is also one of the last options we have to limit the power of Washington on the American people.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this moment and this effort. Brothers and sisters, there is nothing in life that happens by accident. Today is a divine appointment that God has established for us to gather, to encourage one another, and to send a message to Washington that here in Iowa, we believe it is time to cut up the credit card. We need to remind Washington who is in charge, we the people. We must have a balanced budget amendment and we must have it now. I call upon my colleagues here to be unified in allowing Iowa to be the 17th state to call for a convention of the states to make this a reality.

State Sen. Jesse Green, R-Harcourt, represents Boone, Greene and Hamilton counties, southeast Webster County and northwest Story County.