Carpe Diem:
Seizing the Opportunity
Our mission is an age-old story: the struggle of common people against tyranny and corruption. This fight has brought sorrow to countless families throughout history.
Where does it end when people no longer trust their leaders or their government? When two equal factions of society no longer trust each other? When both sides believe they exclusively own the moral high ground? When unimaginable sums of money are at stake, and either side will do anything for power? History shows us the grim outcome when people can no longer find common ground or purpose.
The Present Crisis
As a people and a government, we’ve lost our virtue and truth, resulting in a lack of trust. Our elected representatives no longer serve the people; they serve the Establishment driven by an insatiable thirst for power and financial gain.
The Current State
To correct these failures and fix our system of government, we must start with a legal foundation. We need look no further than the Declaration of Independence. Our Founding Fathers anticipated such a situation. They understood human weakness and the creeping influences of corruption.
The Path Forward
The Nebraska Strategy
Article V of the Constitution of the United States states that two-thirds of both houses of Congress or a two-thirds majority of a States Convention are needed to propose amendments to the Constitution. However, the word ‘required’ or any similar term does not appear in Article V. For many years, legal scholars have argued that there are other methods available to the will of the people for introducing amendments to the Constitution—methods like the Nebraska Strategy.
Furthermore, scholars note that the Founding Fathers used this same logic to ratify our Constitution. They bypassed the procedures established by the Articles of Confederation and succeeded in ratification through popular support—exactly what we are planning to do.
“To secure our rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed—that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness.”
— Thomas Jefferson
If we can draft an amendment so clear and sensible that almost everyone agrees it should be ratified, we can take this wildly popular Amendment and ratify it in the Nebraska Unicameral with the affirmative vote of only 33 State Senators. This bold move would ignite a media frenzy and national debate. By sheer weight of its honesty and popular support, state legislatures across the nation will follow Nebraska in ratifying the Amendment. Before anyone can spell “Establishment,” the requisite 38 states will have voted for ratification. The Supreme Court will declare the Amendment valid, making it law and saving our nation.
This is more than just a legal change; it's a revolutionary shift that could save our nation, returning power to where it belongs—with the people.
What would more clearly establish the will of the people—535 men and women in Congress, largely influenced by the Establishment elite, or 7,383 state legislators who are closer to the people? There is precedent for this approach. According to the National Archives, “In the past, state legislatures have not waited to receive official notice before taking action on a proposed amendment. They have either supported or rejected amendments before they were officially proposed, and their actions have stood.” Article V of the Constitution singles out state legislatures as the dominant force in ratifying amendments. When three-fourths of them agree, an amendment becomes law. Period.
The 28th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the New Democracy Amendment, will elevate the power of the people over that of the Establishment.
-
Virtues of Citizenship: It mandates that the people, the media, and the government of the United States act in the spirit of twelve common virtues of citizenship: Truth, Faith, Sacrifice, Frugality, Balance, Discipline, Diligence, Civility, Justice, Humility, Courage, and Honor.
-
Campaign Finance Reform: No financial or organizational support shall move from any organization, interest group, union, or business interest to support or oppose any candidate for office. Contributions must come from individual donors within the represented area, with a cap of $2,000 per election.
-
No Gifts for Government Employees: All persons employed by the government shall receive no gifts or incentives from entities doing business with the U.S. government, extending for two years after leaving government service.
-
Limiting Lobbying: Lobbying will be restricted to providing written information to government entities, transforming it from a corrupt practice into a transparent process of sharing knowledge for the public good.
A Vision For The Future
We cannot live as we have. We must stop attacking each other and find common ground. We have to find new ways to make things work and live by the whole truth. The past is not our problem; the future is. If we want a future for our children and grandchildren, we have to get this right. We must be positive, forward-looking, and better in character than those who oppose us.
Above all, we cannot pursue this for personal gain. We must capture the imagination of the people with hope, opportunity, and dreams. Everyone must step up, organize, and recapture the spirit of America. As innocent, naïve, and optimistic as it sounds, it is that simple. We must be true to each other and the virtues we believe in.
A Call to Action
An American Solution
The New Democracy Amendment aims to make it constitutionally unlawful for individuals or groups of powerful people to manipulate the system for their benefit. It changes the system to make it more democratic while preserving the fundamental structure envisioned by the Founding Fathers.
Reclaiming Democracy
History has taught us that when people believe they have an equal say in governance, when they trust their government to protect their interests, and when they have the freedom to succeed or fail on their merit, extraordinary things can happen. Athens laid the foundation of Western Civilization, Rome built the greatest empire of the ancient world, Great Britain created an empire where the sun never set, and the United States became a superpower. The more a government supports the will of the people, the greater the potential for human achievement.
The Promise of Change
The Challenge Ahead
Nothing like this has ever been attempted. While it may scare some people, our uncertain future should scare them more. Our second American Revolution will be fought with revolutionary ideas, common sense, and the dreams of the people. To achieve our goals, we must think about our future, not our past. The old system is corrupt, and we should not judge the path to our future by the broken roads of our past. When we take away the Establishment's ability to use their money and power to corrupt the system, we can look to our future with optimism.
Common Sense for a New Revolution
The ratification of the New Democracy Amendment will transform America. People and their representatives will make better choices based on renewed idealism. Extremist voices will grow quiet as the mainstream of America reclaims its place. The media, denied the current political excess, will reinstitute their idealism and sacred duty. The profile of politics will recede, leading to thoughtful political decisions. The dramatic reduction of money in the system will force the political class out of existence, returning Washington, DC, to a quiet collegial city on the Potomac.
The Impact of Ratification
While the worst of the Establishment will fight to stop this effort, we believe most will eventually join us. The majority of elected representatives go into politics for the right reasons, driven by unswerving patriotism. Once they see what is possible, they will stand with us. We all believe in We the People and the twelve common virtues outlined in Section 1.
The Path to Ratification
Can you imagine how this could spur technology, industry, economic development, and the arts? Can you imagine an America without its pessimism and narcissism? Can you imagine a nation where every child believes they can achieve anything they dream of? What’s to stop us from creating another Golden Age or Renaissance right here, right now? We have serious problems, but we can solve them in ways never attempted before.
Imagining A New Era
However, there is still a path back to democracy. Our Founding Fathers left us a clear blueprint, and our history has prepared us for a peaceful revolution. To succeed, there are several things we must do together:
-
Embrace Virtue and Trust: We must jettison our hatred and open our hearts. We must start trusting immediately by demanding virtue of ourselves and living in the whole truth. We need to understand the foundations of the beliefs of those with whom we disagree to start rebuilding trust.
-
Unite the Majority: We need to convince an overwhelming majority of Americans to follow us—not just 50 percent, but 70, 80 percent, or more. We cannot focus on petty partisan or ideological goals, but on the fundamental requirements of our republic—tenets on which we all agree. This will create a vast and level field of common ground on which to build.
-
Craft a Clear Message: We need a simple, clear, and direct message around which we can rally. With God's guidance, we can bring about a rebirth of democracy in the United States.
-
Overcome Fear: We must conquer the fear that we are too small and insignificant to take on the Establishment. By reining in our preconceptions of what is possible, our creativity will shine through, and we will achieve amazing things. We have all the power we need; we just need to expand what we believe is possible.
A Way Forward
It’s time to apply these words as intended. It is clear to at least 90 percent of us that our system of government is broken. Therefore, it is our legal and God-given right to alter our present system and create one that will work in our best interests.
The Simple Solution: Remove Money from Politics
Our government is based on laws, and these laws create the system. Our system is broken, so we need to change the laws to fix the system. Statutory law has repeatedly failed; to fix our system, we need a Constitutional Amendment to override Supreme Court cases aligned against us. And we can start right here, right now by simply convincing 33 Nebraska State Senators to ratify our amendment.
This will be no easy task. It will require all of us to pitch in. Make no mistake, this will be a real revolution. Those with power, money, and influence in our broken system will not give it up without a fight. The New Democracy Amendment will cause some of the most powerful individuals to lose their accustomed power. They will do anything to stop us, but we have the people and the truth on our side. From our perspective, they are hopelessly outnumbered.
"Carpe Diem" is a call to seize the opportunity for a better future. Together, we can fix our nation and create a democracy that truly serves the people.