Today began as all conferences do \u2013 with hot coffee, warm conversation, and an assortment of breakfast pastries. But what happened next here in Williamsburg, Virginia made the Simulated Convention of States a \u201cconference\u201d like none other.<\/p>\n
The one hundred and thirty four commissioners from all fifty states left their breakfast tables and began the hard work of trying to save America. It\u00a0began by\u00a0electing a Convention President. Several great candidates were up for the task, and one by one representatives from each state stood to cast their vote. When the votes were tallied, no consensus had been reached. \u00a0 A murmur spread throughout the room. \u00a0Unexpected!<\/em> \u00a0Those who\u2019d received fewer votes graciously stepped aside, and the commissioners voted again. And again.<\/p>\n Eventually, Ken Ivory of Utah was elected.<\/p>\n Seeing the commissioners\u2019\u00a0eagerness to serve, followed immediately by their willingness to step aside was inspirational. The committee meetings that followed were less \u201cinspirational\u201d and more \u201chard work.\u201d Commissioners\u00a0broke into\u00a0three committees:<\/p>\n 1. \u00a0Fiscal Restraint Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n 2. \u00a0Federal Legislative and Executive Jurisdiction Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n 3 \u00a0Term Limits and Federal Judicial Jurisdiction Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n Each committee began by electing a committee chair, followed by a time of discussion. \u00a0After a quick lunch \u2014 though some worked right through lunch \u2014 the commissioners voted on the amendment proposals.<\/p>\n I began my time in the\u00a0fiscal restraint committee, then eavesdropped on a more casual subcommittee meeting discussing legislative jurisdiction. It was such an honor to listen in on these principled conversations, the back and forth amongst the people from all over the nation. No matter which committee I dropped in on, everyone was proposals limited the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, imposed fiscal restraints, and placed term limits on federal officials.<\/p>\n What I heard \u2013 even underlying the most vehement disagreements \u2013 was hope.<\/p>\n What if we did this\u2026. Or what if we did that instead? Or, do you think it would fix this issue if we resolved to do this?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I learned,\u201d a commissioner from a southern state told me, \u201cis that this is a sober undertaking.\u201d<\/p>\n While the commissioners were deliberating, I slipped\u00a0away to give\u00a0the readers of National Review a behind-the-scenes peak at\u00a0this historic moment.<\/p>\n