A Biblical and Historical Model of Representation

The Founders understood representation not as a modern invention, but as a principle rooted in Scripture. In passages such as Exodus 18, 1 Corinthians 10, and Hebrews 9, God instructs His people in patterns of governance built on delegated authority—not monarchy, not rule by a single will, but leadership chosen from among the people.

Ancient Israel organized itself through leaders of tens, fifties, hundreds, and thousands. In modern terms, this reflected representation at the local, county, regional, and national levels. This structure served as a model—a type—of how free people should govern themselves.

The Founders’ Course Correction

Under the Articles of Confederation, America experimented with a unicameral system. It failed. The Philadelphia Convention was called to correct that failure, and the Great Compromise established a bicameral legislature grounded in popular sovereignty and community-based representation.

The House would represent population. The Senate would represent political communities—states at the federal level, and counties within the states.

This balance ensured that rural and urban interests checked one another, preventing domination by either majority or minority.

A Nation with Purpose

America did not emerge by accident. Whether one views its founding through the lens of providence or history, the pattern is clear: the nation was built with purpose. If God has a plan for His children, then He also provides lessons—examples of success when we follow His design, and consequences when we do not.

The Constitution required remarkably few changes over time. Many of the nation’s greatest struggles came not from flaws in the design, but from our failure to act on principles the Founders already understood. Slavery, for example, was debated from the late 1600s onward, yet taking action was postponed for generations—at the cost of 620,000 to 800,000 lives during the Civil War.

Centralization and the Rise of Progressive Governance

The Civil War era opened the door to a dramatic expansion of federal power—through amendments, national taxation, paper currency, conscription, federal control of infrastructure, and a growing bureaucracy. The Supreme Court increasingly acted as an arbiter of national policy. As dust settled on the Constitution, we began to grow government at a cost of diminished Representation.

For those advocating Progressive reforms, this centralization created fertile ground. Civic engagement gave way to expert administration. Moral reasoning was overshadowed by technocratic solutions. The writings and warnings of the Founders gathered dust, and Representation began to be moved into the shadows.

The Loss of True Representation in the States

State senates were originally modeled after the U.S. Senate:

• The House represented population.

• The Senate represented counties—fixed political communities with distinct interests.

This structure protected rural communities from being overrun by urban majorities and ensured that legislation required agreement between both the people and the places they lived.

Today, that balance is gone. State senates have become mirror images of their state houses—representing the same populations, the same districts, and the same interests. What remains is a pseudo‑senate, not the constitutional model of bicameralism the Founders intended.

The Path Forward

If representation is a gift from God and a guarantee of the Constitution, then restoring it is not merely a political preference—it is a duty. A loving God allows choice and accountability. For people to remain free they must do the same.

It is time to reclaim the representative system that once protected every community in every state. It is time to restore the balance that made self‑government possible. It is time for Counties First.

Counties First, the solution (#CountiesFirst)

Counties First is a solution modeled after the Article 5 Convention, allowing for a Representative process for correcting an abuse of government. This is the solution that will allow for the opportunity to reverse the decision rendered by SCOTUS in 1964, known as Reynold v Sims. From this decision State Senates were moved from being apportioned by fixed districts, such as counties to being apportioned by population, allowing for state senate districts to now be Gerrymandered, the same as state house seats. Gerrymandering is all about Power Politics.

The Bicameral system of governance with a House and Senate, modeled on the Founding Fathers framework, ensures that ALL people and communities are represented, and that Checks & Balances can be in place to ensure there is no “Taxation without Representation” and that bad policies do not move forward.

It’s time to restore county-based representation back into their State Senates. Anchor popular sovereignty to where it matters most—at the local level.

This is our moment. Wake-up. Stand-up. take Action.

If this resonates with you, share this post, subscribe for updates on Counties First, the Convention of Counties movement on Substack, and find ways to get involved.

The Book, Counties First, provides insights on the history, but most importantly how this can be corrected in 2026. All that is required, is for good people to expand the conversation to take back Representation.

Together, we can reclaim the representation our Founders intended, knowing that our future, emerges out of our past.

For liberty and sovereignty,

Matt Hawkins, / ConventionOfCounties]

on X @COC1776

Get the book: Counties First, and take action.

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WTPlearn’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Sign up and stay current. More to come. This is not about Power-Politics, but in restoring the Representative Process envisioned by our Founding Fathers.

1. Unfunded Mandates: The Quiet Tax on Counties

For years, counties have been required to provide indigent defense in trial courts. The state reimbursed only 4% of the cost in 2016, leaving counties to cover roughly $153 million. The Washington Supreme Court then imposed new caseload limits, forcing counties to hire even more attorneys without providing the funding to do so.

By 2025, the cost exceeded $200 million, and new rules could triple attorney expenses again. The state makes the demands; counties pay the bill. That’s not partnership—it’s extraction.

Is this about justice, or is it a full-employment program for attorneys?

2. Elections: More Mandates, Less Transparency

Washington’s vote‑by‑mail system keeps expanding, but the state’s mandates expand faster than its support. Counties must install and maintain more drop boxes without state funding. Meanwhile, transparency for election observers has been reduced, systems compounded, leaving volunteers with fewer ways to verify a system that should be open by design. What started out as a simple idea has morphed in complexity and expanded opportunities for fraud.

A system that claims to value trust should not fear visibility.

3. Taxes Without Representation

Washington’s spending trajectory tells the story plainly:

• 2015: $37 billion

• 2025: $81.7 billion

More than double in a decade.

When representation is diluted, taxation becomes easier. Our founders fought a revolution over this principle. Today, the imbalance is back—only dressed in modern bureaucracy. Local communities have little voice in the decisions that affect them most.

4. The Collapse of State Trust Land Management

The Department of Natural Resources manages the largest public asset intended to fund our children’s education. Yet the trust land portfolio is collapsing:

• 1995: $6.2 billion

• 2020: $2.6 billion

Adjusted for inflation, annual net revenue fell from $350 million (1997) to $150 million (2018).

At the same time, Washington’s student performance dropped from top‑10 nationally in 2000 to around 25th by 2025. Why, when assets fall, revenues fall—should outcomes fall with them?

This is not misfortune. It is mismanagement.

5. The Structural Failure Beneath It All, ‘Representation’

These problems share a root cause: counties no longer have representation in the state senate. That change came in 1964 with Reynolds v. Sims, which dismantled the constitutional structure the founders intended—representation balanced between people and geography.

For sixty years, no one challenged it. Counties First does.

The Convention of Counties provides a constitutional path for states to restore county representation and rebalance power. This isn’t nostalgia. It’s repair.

6. A Constitutional Path Forward

America thrived when representation was balanced between people and place—between population and counties. That balance was erased in 1964, and every trend line since has confirmed the cost. Restoring county representation isn’t a theory. It’s a constitutional remedy waiting to be exercised, and the Convention of Counties gives every state a lawful path to restoration.

But restoring representation won’t happen from the top down. It begins with citizens who understand what was lost—and why it matters now more than ever.

The Moment to Engage is Now

If these trends concern you, you’re not alone. Across the country, people are waking up to the same pattern: rising mandates, rising taxes, declining transparency, and a political structure that no longer reflects the communities it governs.

The next step is simple but essential:

Learn the history… Understand the mechanism… Join the discussion.

That’s why Counties First: A House Divided exists. It lays out the full story:

• How representation was dismantled,

• How counties became sidelined, and

• How citizens can restore the balance our founders intended.

It’s written for people who want more than outrage. It’s for people ready to act.

If you want to help restore representation in your state, start by reading the book and sharing it with others who care about local self‑government.

Every movement begins with informed citizens. Every reform begins with a conversation. And every conversation begins with someone willing to say, “This isn’t working—and here’s how we fix it.”

Take the First Step

Read the book: Counties First: A House Divided Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or through your local bookstore (print and eBook).

Connect: info@ConventionOfCounties.com or on X @COC1776

Share This If You Want County Representation to be Restored

If this struck a nerve, pass it on. Most people don’t realize how much representation counties have lost—or how close we are to restoring it. A single share can start the conversation in another county, another state, or another community that’s feeling the same pressure.

Share this post and help bring county representation back into the spotlight.

This is for We the People

Just as President Trump’s recent address to the people of Iran echoed across the world, calling them to seize their hour of freedom amid decisive action to end tyranny, a similar call rings out here at home. In his statement, Trump declared:

“… Finally, to the great, proud people of Iran, I say tonight that the hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere.

When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.

For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight.

Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond.
America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.

Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach.

This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass…”

President Trump

The message was unmistakable: America stands ready not to conquer, but to empower a people to restore their popular sovereignty—to choose their own government free from oppression.

History offers sobering parallels. In 1956, the people of Hungary rose against the shackles of tyranny in a brave revolution, protesting and resisting with the hope of Western support as they wanted to break out from the Stalinist regime (Communism). Promises lingered in the air, but meaningful assistance never materialized. Decades passed before another real opportunity for freedom emerged. Not until 1989 did the people of Hungary have another chance as they then stepped into elections in the spring of 1990. Freedom often arrives not on its own timetable, but when people wake up, stand up, and seize the moment—often with timely aid from allies. America’s allies could be identified with France, Spain, the Netherlands, and even some tribal nations during their Revolutionary War period.

These freedoms aren’t handed down forever; they must be fought for by each generation. Yes, a key freedom is the right to elect your leaders, but more importantly is the simple concept of Representation. Government is to serve the interests of the people. Representation is not about The People being servants to a governmental process. In America, this is about people having their interests represented, starting locally, within our Counties.

A Parallel Call for Rural America and Our Counties

What if that same bold message applied right here, to the heartland of America? To the counties, that form the backbone of our states and nation.

Imagine President Trump, rephrased this way:

“… Finally, to the … people of America, the counties, I say the hour for help is at hand. We have secured the borders… We are cleaning up elections with the SAVE Act… and now Counties, you have a choice to restore Representation within your State Senate…. take back your Popular Sovereign rights. This is yours to take … this may be your only chance for generations.

For many years, you have asked for help to restore transparency and accountability, but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do to restore the Constitutional Guarantee that ALL States are guaranteed. … so let’s see how you respond.

Now is the time to seize control of your destiny and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that Counties can deliver…starting with your precincts, take back your counties.

This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass…”

As we release Counties First and push forward with the vision of a Convention of Counties within your state, this is the wake-up call. Representation begins at home—in our counties.

Restoring What We’ve Lost: The Constitutional Guarantee

As America approaches its semi-quincentennial, it’s the perfect time to reset and restore what has drifted away. It doesn’t matter how we lost our way; what matters is how we step forward as we dust off the precious documents that we have neglected. Namely our Constitution, and our respect for Providence, Natures God.

Recall King Josiah in the Bible: When ancient scrolls—perhaps untouched for 290 years—were rediscovered in the Temple, he had them read aloud. He tore his clothes in realization of how far his people had strayed from God’s law. He then led a great revival.

Have we done the same with our own founding documents? The U.S. Constitution guarantees every state a Republican Form of Government—one that includes fair representation. The original 13 states modeled this as they reached agreement with The Great Compromise. Quickly, the 3 States that did not have this model in place, adapted with State Houses apportioned by population, State Senates by fixed districts (often county-based), to ensure geographic balance and to prevent domination by urban centers.

Yet over time, we’ve allowed gerrymandering to erode this balance. Counties—once a foundational unit of representation—are no longer meaningfully represented in many State Senates. The voice of rural America, small towns, and counties has been diluted.

It’s time to blow off the dust. Restore county-based representation in their State Senates. Secure popular sovereignty where it matters most—at the local level.

This is our moment. Wake-up. Stand-up. take Action.

If this resonates with you, share this post, subscribe for updates on Counties First, the Convention of Counties movement on Substack, and find ways to get involved.

The Book, Counties First, provides insights on the history, but most importantly how this can be corrected in 2026. All that is required, is for good people to expand the conversation to take back Representation.

Together, we can reclaim the representation our Founders intended, knowing that our future, emerges out of our past.

For liberty and sovereignty,

Matt Hawkins, / ConventionOfCounties]

on X @COC1776

Get the book: Counties First, and take action.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Sign up and stay current. More to come. This is not about Power-Politics, but in restoring the Representative Process envisioned by our Founding Fathers.

Thank you for everything you and the team accomplished in 2025.

Now let’s finish the job.

For 250 years the American Garage has quietly changed the world.

• Hewlett-Packard → the entire tech industry

• Apple → the smartphone in your pocket

• Disney → the happiest place on earth (started in a garage, scaled in Orange County)

• Amazon → started in Bezos’s Bellevue garage

• Google → Susan Wojcicki’s Menlo Park garage

• Harley-Davidson, Mattel, Yankee Candle, MagLite… the list is endless.

Two or three dreamers, zero permission, maximum freedom.

That tiny garage was the smallest unit still capable of total freedom in an increasingly regulated nation.

Now imagine that same freedom — but at county scale.

3,143 American counties.

Most have:

• More land than Silicon Valley ever had

• Better water, energy, and mineral resources than Dubai or Singapore ever dreamed of

• Millions of motivated citizens instead of 2–3 founders

• Existing airports, highways, courts, and schools

The garage on steroids.

We already have proof this works:

Miami-Dade County, FL (2021-2025)
Mayor Suarez ran a one-man “unleash the county” experiment:

→ “How do I get to Miami?” tweets
→ Near-zero crypto regulation
→ Welcome mat for founders

Result: In <4 years Miami went from tech nowhere to hosting more crypto nodes than San Francisco. Thousands of founders and hundreds of funds moved in.

Orange County, CA (1950s–1980s)
Light zoning + defense money → invented the modern American suburb, Disneyland, and the semiconductor cluster that powered the PC revolution.

Travis County, TX (Austin)
Kept taxes and zoning sane → attracted Dell, Tesla Gigafactory, Samsung, Apple, and turned a sleepy college town into the hottest tech hub in America.

Three counties. Three explosions. All because someone got government out of the way.

A truly unleashed county beats even the wildest “charter city” fantasy in 10 out of 11 categories (see chart below). It already has the roads, the courts, the hospitals, the people, and — most importantly — the American spirit.

The bottleneck has never been the land or the people.
It has always been regulation and governance.

2026 can be the year we remove the chains.

Two simple, constitutional levers will do it:

1. Restore real county representation in every state senate (most states gutted it in the 1960s-70s with “one man, one vote” rulings). Counties must have their voice back.

2. Roll back the federal and state regulatory blanket that smothers rural America.

Do this and the $36 trillion national debt becomes a rounding error. Counties will generate so much new wealth we’ll pay it off the way we paid off World War II debt — with growth, not austerity.

Mr. President, nobody understands timing and leverage better than you.

You caught the vision of Making America Great Again.
Now let’s scale it from the garage to the county.

Let’s unleash all 3,143 American garages in 2026.

The next 50 years of American invention will make the last 250 look like a warm-up act.

And the whole world will once again say:
“Only in America.”

With deepest respect and gratitude,
A regular American who still believes in Divine Providence and the power of free people, as well as many others

P.S. One practical path forward: the Convention of Counties movement https://conventionofcounties.com/

We don’t need another study. We need action.

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Our U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1788, and as the Bill of Rights were ratified in 1791, we technically had the beginning of the “Codified Constitution”. As future Amendments were ratified, these were added to the codified Constitution.

But do not be misled, the Codified Constitution of today contains more than just ratified amendments.

Insights on the history of the profession of law.

Attorneys have been with us, well, since the beginning of time. In the United States, it wasn’t uncommon for attorneys to learn their trade through apprenticeships, as opposed to formal schooling.

In England, the requirement for judges (barristers) to be trained in the law began in 1286. In America, justices-of-the-peace did not have to be attorneys. In 1800 all States allowed for non-attorneys to become judges. By 1900, all 45 states allowed for non-attorneys to serve as judges. Today, 32 states allow non-attorneys to serve as judges, while the U.S. Constitution has no requirement for a Supreme Court Justice to be an attorney.

What impacted this change? Perhaps it was the creation of the American Bar Association in 1878. What started then as theory, for a modern day understanding of constitutional process, began to be memorialized through Progressives like Woodrow Wilson in 1908. Roscoe Pound in 1908 is credited with suggesting that “rules fit cases instead of making cases fit rules”, allowing for case law to be interpreted to the needs of the day.

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr in 1914 states “the life of the law has not been logic: it has been experience” allowing for the constitution to shift with societies norms. Howard Lee McBain’s 1927 book “The Living Constitution” describes the Constitution as being elastic and a “living constitution”, that is constantly being renewed through judicial elucidation. Roosevelt in 1937, wanted to ensure that SCOTUS would build anew on the Constitution ‘a system of living law’.

No wonder then that by 1950, when the Warren Court came into existence, there had been plenty of time to prepare future generations of attorneys with Progressivism values to be able to permeate the courts and their decisions. The Living Constitution is changing our rights, without a Representative process for reaching agreement.

No wonder then, that the Codified Constitution of today, as reflected in a Living Constitution, will not reflect the intentions of “We the People” or our Founding Fathers. We need to take our Constitution back, now.

We are working on a more comprehensive writing of insights, to support why we need to restore the understandings we had 250 years ago. This country is a crown jewel; the original intentions of our Constitution need to be restored.

Please support and spread the word about the project of Convention of Counties.

Consider how words and their context have changed in just the last 50 years.

“I did not have sexual relations, with that woman.” Is a fan favorite of dialogue regarding President Bill Clinton (1998), which leads us to the complimentary question, “What is Sex?” Clinton argued that their encounters didn’t qualify because he didn’t actively touch the same areas on her. The excuse, “It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is”. Artful law we say, aiding fluid discussions in the law.

“What is a woman?” became the polarizing question in 2022, with the release of a documentary by the same name. The lack of simple clarity introduced a whole new discussion of Trans athletes in sports.

There are 72+ Genders in 2025, with some suggesting that the number should be “infinite”. Meaning there are not just 2 genders, male and female. But then are we now discussing biological sexes or gender?

What is Pornography? “I know it when I see it.” Is clearly attributed to “hard-core” pornography and Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, 1964. Within K-12 education we’re finding that the standards in some states may define Pornography to include the image of penetration.

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Are we relinquishing our rights as a citizenry, if we allow for the Judiciary to assume the role of telling us the People, as well as the Congress and the Executive branch what is to be meant. Are we moving from Popular Sovereignty to a Judiciary Form of government?

Can a Republican Form of Government coexist with a doctrine of Judicial Supremacy? Ever since 1950, we seemed to align more closely with the progressive understanding of Judicial Supremacy, meaning that the legal institutions have greater influence than our legislative bodies of government. Did We the People, through our States grant new rights, or redefine the Federal Responsibilities? NO. Perhaps we need to be reminded of John Adams, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Popular Sovereignty: While words and the impact of words can be found in societal trends, the inspiration of the Constitution can be realized in the legacy of its creation. This legacy requires a closer look at the intent behind the words chosen, their intended use and their adaptability for Representative Government. We the People, are the Popular Sovereignty, having been entrusted by God, time to stand up and get involved. Only we can ensure that future generations benefit from what we inherited.

Share and subscribe as we expand a discussion on Truth’s that will restore the America our Founding Fathers envisioned.

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Matt Hawkins has been a lifelong advocate for conservative policy. A family man, business owner, advisor and candidate for public office. The insights offered are those of the author and countless discussions with experts as well as everyday Americans. We all will be held responsible one day for what we did to preserve the legacy we inherited, of a “representative, Republican Form of government”.

www.ConventionOfCounties.com

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Are we missing something, Democracy seems to be destructive?

Mrs. Powell asked of Benjamin Franklin, “what have we got, a republic or monarchy” and was told, “we have a Republic”.

These were fast times as something new, never tried, was unfolding. The States were growing up fast, as they assumed new responsibilities for representation.

Initially all they wanted was to be treated with respect by the king, before they knew it, they had advanced into a Revolutionary War. Words alone could not settle the differences.

As independence was won, they formalized their recognition as newly formed Nation-States, joining together in a Confederation of States under the Articles of Confederation.

Statehood was supported by both Unicameral and Bicameral representative governments.

Within a few years, everyone realized that the Articles of Confederation needed to be modified, as they agreed to meet in the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Representatives were sent from each State.

The Great Compromise provided insights into this representative process, as 3 states were not present, 4 states were against the measure, 5 states were for and 1 state was split in their vote. This single issue laid the foundation for Model, or Form of Government to be followed with a Senate and House.

Moving away from full democracy, the Senate held an equal voice for each State that came into the Union, while the House would be apportioned by population.

This model of governance was followed, as each of the States when asked to Ratify the U.S. Constitution did so, after they sent the request to the Counties within their states for Ratification. This was not done on a popular vote, as might be expected in a Democracy, but through Representative votes as pronounced by County, Parish or Districts.

In most instances these bodies were comprised of varied sizes of population. Not all people liked this Constitution.

So, what has happened? We find today that we have drifted, as some would have us believe that our Freedoms are all a result of our Democracy and that everything should be done by popular vote.

Democracy’s’ rule by the majority, at the risk of depriving the minority of their rights.

So how do we ensure the Rights of the Minority are protected?

With a Senate, that represents groups of people unique by geography.

Nationally these are the States, within a State, these are the Counties

Moving from the Articles of Confederation to the U.S. Constitution, a major leap in “Republican Form” took place as we moved from a Unicameral to a Bicameral Congress. But not just any Bicameral process. We had 13 states by this time, with an expectation that we would be growing as a nation. The question then, to be asked, How would we influence the creation of future State Governments, while guaranteeing “a Republican Form of Government”?

Consider, that the Connecticut Compromise was a pivot point, as the debates ensured each state would have an equal apportionment in the U.S. Senate, each state having an equal vote. The U.S. House remained, apportionment based on 1 person 1 vote. This is a Representative process. This policy was created as a result of 5 1/2 vote for, 4 1/2 votes against and 3 not being present. So apparently, the future does belong to those that show up.

Why then did we push so hard for this Compromise in the U.S. Congress, yet we did not follow with exactness in the States, as they were added into the Union? The reality, we paid lip service to the “republican form” of government as we ensured each state had what appeared to be a Bicameral legislative body. This pseudo-Bicameral system was further eroded (1962 & 1964) as the SCOTUS gerrymandered the Republican Form of government for ALL States.

Maybe we lost sight as we defined States to being Sovereign entities, entitling them to the status of having the appearance of a “republican form” of governance. Doesn’t this mean, that for States to have a Legislative body as the U.S. Congress, requires the Counties to be Sovereign?

States are sovereign jurisdictions, having authority not delegated to the Federal Government. On the other extreme, the people enjoy popular sovereignty, since the ultimate authority and legitimacy of government is derived from the consent of the governed—the people collectively. Sovereignty seems to be centered on people and geographies with defined boundaries.

What about, the Counties? Their boundaries are fixed. Recognize too, that counties in most instances, wrote their state constitutions. Counties existed during Territorial days. Why then do Counties not have a right to, “limited Sovereignty”? This sovereignty should be defined by We the People, through Representative action, in the same way that Counties ratified the Constitution beginning in 1789. Representative government begins at home, in our counties.

Covenants are rooted in moral or religious authority

Anciently Covenants became a building block as tribal societies began to interact. We learn further through the Hebrew Bible that God set forth covenants between himself and humanity (Noah, Abraham and Moses), with both moral and spiritual implications. By the Middle Ages covenants were used to formalize relationships between those in power and their subjects.

Compacts are Political Agreements for political action

Initially compacts were used to establish governance among groups wherein formal state structures did not exist. In the 1600’s The Mayflower Compact serves as a bridge between the use of covenant and compact as we find the settlers forming a body based on mutual consent and divine guidance.

Today we find that Compacts are used regularly within U.S. Constitutional law as States and regional authorities create compacts of agreement.

Contracts are legal instruments of exchange

Evolving out of Roman Law, influencers such as Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau reimagined contracts as the basis of civil society, a social contract if you prefer. Today Contracts are the backbone of private law, from employment to commerce to property. Consent is required, with provisions being enforceable by the civil law that is created.

Understanding these distinctions is crucial, if we are to restore the framework of what was Constitutionally intended. Covenants inspire moral unity, Compacts enable political collaboration, and Contracts ensure legal clarity.

The “Convention of Counties” is a solution that resolves the conflict between “We the People” our States and Federal bodies of government, for “the States are guaranteed a Republican (Representative) Form of government.” (The State Senate’s do not have this now.)

Within this U.S. Constitutional Contract, we find the reference to “Form of Government”, both within the document and supported by the Founding Fathers. This “Form” was to ensure the creation of “a more perfect union”.

George Washington and John Adams both described this “form” as a “Model” to be used. By the time we created the U.S. Constitution, we realized a better form needed to be used, this form, was Bicameral, which included a Senate to be represented by fixed geographical boundaries, equally. These fixed boundaries were the States.

The States themselves realized the need to follow this “Form” and each adapted to a Bicameral system, which included a Senate, represented by Counties. We followed this model, up until 1964, when SCOTUS changed the form. This changed, effectively moved all States from “Representative Republics” to “Democracies”.

Now is the time to restore what we once had, “Representative Republics” within our States. Convention of Counties is how we can accomplish this task.

www.ConventionOfCounties.com

Problems created through unintended consequences

(While this message is focused on WA State, it has application to all States.)

The idea of a Democracy is good on the surface; everything goes to a vote; the Majority decides the outcome. However, a pure Democracy benefits only the Majority, in the short term, taking rights from the Minority. As Karl Marx described, ‘Democracy is the road to socialism.’ These fruits are bitter.

As a nation, the United States came out of obscurity to become a beacon of hope to the people of the world, in part because “The Republican form of government” protected Rights & Freedoms, with government being the servant of the people.

In 1964, SCOTUS and other leaders in Congress, thought they were doing right by moving to a model of democracy, not realizing they were preparing to enslave a nation.

The Solution:

IF government is to be Of, By and For the People, then it should be a servant of the People.

Our Founding Fathers created a safety net for Constitutional correction, and that included the right for States to call a Convention (Article V Convention) to correct a government that is off track. Enshrined within the US Constitution, this is a protection for ALL.

So, what happens when a State is off its tracks? Well consider the contract (State Constitution) to see what solutions are present. If none exist that are acceptable to the People, then we look to the U.S. Constitution for guidance. As the drafters to the State Constitution, the Counties should have the right to call an Article V Convention to restore balance. The right to enjoy County Representation in the State Senate, was removed by SCOTUS, it was a poor judicial ruling. Early efforts within the State to adjust apportionment were just poor politics. Today, We the People have a right to support our County Commissioners in calling a Convention of Counties, to restore the voices of Counties in State policies, through reapportioning the State Senate, equally by county.

The Example is Washington State, 39 Counties and 19 of which have “No Dedicated Senate Representation”. The next level of support, 12 Counties have multiple Senators that cut into their county, yet none are dedicated to representing their interests. So, 31 out of 39 counties have no dedicated Senate representation, and yet the top 3 counties control 55% of the Senate and House seats.

Counties with NO DEDICATED Senate REPRESENTATION

Take a look at your State, determine if your State legislature is balanced, meaning Bicameral, with the House and Senate representing “The People” in the same form as the U.S. Congress. My guess, the answer is NO.

For those that want to make our elections all about Transparency and Accountability in Elections, this is only part of the solution. For those that want to say we need to just elect new people, or we need Term Limits, these are Band-Aids to the real problem. Our States do not have the Representative Republic form of government they were guaranteed. When State Senate seats can be Gerrymandered the same as House Seats, then we have a Democracy, moving into Socialism.

SO YES, CLEAN UP THE ELECTION SYSTEM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME RESTORE THE VOICE OF COUNTIES BACK INTO THEIR STATE SENATE. THIS IS ALL ABOUT REPRESENTATION FOR THE COUNTIES and BALANCE.

Support Convention of Counties

Restoring a Constitutionally balanced State government

All of WA State will benefit, as “the child” (the State), listens to the voice of “the parent” (the Counties). This is a lesson on “the Birds and the Bees”, you probably did not get in school.

The Oregon Territory in 1848, operated on a Bicameral system of governance, with both an upper house (Senate, apportioned among the territories counties), and a lower house (House of Representatives). The Washington Territory was created in 1853, and further modified in 1863, with the initial effort to create the child government “Statehood” in 1878, as proposed and created by the Counties. Finally in 1889, Congress asked for the counties to submit their application for Statehood, with the Counties once again redrafting a second Constitution for approval. Recognize, that the Counties had already approved a prior Constitution.

The 1878 Constitution (Article 4, Section 2) states, “The people of this state have the sole right to alter or abolish their constitution and form of government whenever they deem it necessary to their safety and happiness, provided, such change be not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States.” Section 1, states that: “The Legislative power of this state shall be vested in two distinct branches: the one to be styled after the Senate, and the other the House of Representatives…”

The 1889 Washington Constitution provided clarity in Article 2, Section 6, ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF SENATORS. After the first election, the senators shall be elected by single districts of convenient and contiguous territory, at the same time and in the same manner as members of the house of representatives are required to be elected; and “…no representative district shall be divided in the formation of a senatorial district.” (yet that is what we do today as the House and Senate seats come out of the same Legislative Districts)

1962 & 1864, The Supreme Court steps in, on a national level. (Progressivism in action)

Baker v Carr (1962) Originating in Tennessee, this was a landmark decision, which opened the door for the Federal Government to get involved in redistricting cases for political boundaries. This further laid the groundwork for the concept of “one person, one vote”. The ruling ensured a shifting of political power to urban areas. This legal case was initiated because Tennessee had not adjusted their boundaries for apportionment in Representative races in over 60 years, while the State Constitution had stated it had to be done every 10 years. So why impact all States?

Reynolds v Sims (1964) Originating in Alabama, the decision set aside County representation in favor of an apportionment of 1 person 1 vote for both the House and Senate. One person stood up to correct this abuse of SCOTUS, with the Dirksen Amendment, S.J. Res 185) to ensure that States could have the same kind of geographical allocation (for Counties to State), like what the States enjoy (States to Federal) for the U.S. Congress. The creation of a federal amendment failed at that time.

Conclusion: It is an injustice, that we have been prescribed a solution that is not in alignment with our guarantee of a republican form of government.

Restore the voice of your county, in the State Senate

a concept based on Constitutional principle.

This is for your Family & Community

• What about your State, were you impacted the same by SCOTUS?

• Is your State Senate, aligned for County Representation?

Prior to September 10th, Truth seemed had become tainted, due to the News Media, Politics and societies indifference to life. Often, we are told to follow the money, if we really want to know what has occurred. Some might say, follow the power. In any event it seems that opinions are formed if the desire for an outcome is strong enough.

So how does this delivery of Truth impact you and me, our families? Well, to hide the Truth, or overshadow, may nullify any attempt to change conditions. Take any athlete that is at the top of their game, if they are denied the best of equipment, their performance may be sub-optimal. Given the right equipment, they have the capacity to break records.

History has shown that the United States came out of obscurity to become a beacon of hope to the people of the world, in part because “The Republican form of government” protected Rights & Freedoms, with government being ‘the servant of the people’. From the Magna Carta (1215) to the Declaration of Independence (1776) the gains for mankind were slow. From the U.S. Constitution (1789) to today, the world has seen unprecedented benefits come to ALL PEOPLE.

As a people, we have been misled as SCOTUS and early state leaders thought they were doing right by moving to a model of democracy, not realizing they were preparing to enslave a nation.

The Solution

From the Magna Carta to today, we have learned a great deal about localizing government and ensuring Rights and Responsibilities for “We the People”. Core to this must be a recognition for Counties.

Counties have been an optimal building block for governance for centuries. Further, our Founding Fathers created a safety net for Constitutional correction, that included the right for States to call a Convention (Article V Convention) to correct a government that is off-track.

So, what happens when a State is off its tracks? Consider the State Constitution (a contract) to see what solutions are available. If none exist, that are acceptable to the People, then look to the U.S. Constitution for guidance. Drafters to the State Constitution should have included the right to call an Article V Convention to restore balance in fact, Congress should have ensured this action

.

County Representation in the State Senate, was removed by SCOTUS, which was a poor judicial ruling, moving each state closer to a Democracy. Progressive politics within society have further clouded our ability to recognize Truth. Today, We the People have a right to support our County Commissioners in calling a Convention of Counties, to restore the voices of Counties into State policies, through reapportioning the State Senate, equally by county. Ensuring this is not about Party politics, as we move to have State Senators, representing the interests of their county.

Support “Convention of Counties”

To Restore a Constitutionally balanced State government

Through Study, conversation, more study and more conversation

Consider the following chart, as you consider the impact that Counties once had on Legislative process, they were a building block to an improved “Representative Form of Government”.

Please Share and Discuss.

To argue that we want a Democracy, where every vote counts, do we? Karl Marx described, ‘Democracy is the road to socialism.’ Socialism has evidenced misery on the global stage in the last 100 years.

In professional sports, we have seen basketball evolve to something that I don’t recognize from my youth. “To travel”, meant something. Looking at the NBA today, there seems to be no recognition to a “Traveling” violation. But then, pro basketball seems to have become a blood sport when you see all of the contact that is occurring. Why is it so physical, what happened to talent?

As a nation, the United States came out of obscurity to become a beacon of hope to the people of the world, in part because “The Republican form of government” protected Rights & Freedoms, with government being the servant of the people.

SCOTUS and early state leaders thought they were doing right by moving to a model of democracy, not realizing they were preparing to enslave a nation. Or did they?

The Solution

IF government is to be Of, By and For the People, then it should be a servant of the People. We have been lulled into thinking that Government decisions and larger government are the answer. Moving decisions away from our Legislative bodies to the Bureaucrats has been bad. Finally, someone stood up and challenged a SCOTUS decision. What resulted was the Chevron Deference ruling: agencies cannot create law, only legislative bodies.

People are waking up and rereading the US Constitution as well as their State Constitutions. We are beginning to realize these are contracts, and as citizens we are beginning to appreciate the drift away from what was intended by our founding fathers. Maybe someone can enlighten me, was basketball intended to become the contact and brutal sport it is today?

Back to our Civic Discussion, we are guaranteed a republican form of government, where the interests of the people are balanced. Senate representation was to be unique, at both the Federal and State levels of government. The Senate was never about 1 person, 1 vote, but was all about balancing the fixed geographic interests, that of States and Counties. So, remove the partisan divide, and restore the voice of Counties into the State Senate, with the Senators having a true responsibility to represent the interests of the Counties. Yes, there are more Rural vs Urban Counties, but tell me, who is better prepared to understand the nuances of Rural assets, the timber, the farms and mines, if not for the generations that have come out of these regions?

To be a good steward requires an understanding of what one is managing. How many in our urban centers understand the production of milk, eggs or the creation of electricity, the movement of water?

Support Convention of Counties

Restoring a Constitutionally balanced State Government

www.ConventionOfCounties.com

We have a Guarantee, “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion…” So, what is a guarantee and what is a Republican Form of Government? By example, the Federal system of government was empowered, by the States coming to an agreement, through contract (The Constitution), to allow for the Federal government to enjoy limited enumerated rights, ensuring the States and People are to enjoy ALL OTHER RIGHTS. As a structure, the Federal government was designed to have Checks and Balances, built around first a Legislative body (Bicameral), comprised of a House elected and beholden to the People and a Senate, which was to be apportioned equally to each State. Second an Administration led by the President to administer the laws created and finally a Judiciary to determine only the Constitutionality of the laws, not to create law. This government was implemented in that order.

As the United States grew in numbers, States were to be added, with future States to enjoy the full benefits of the original 13 states. All States, including the original 13, had their beginnings in the creation of Counties, Townships, Wards or other local forms of government oversight. In most all instances, States were created from Enabling Acts, wherein Congress agreed to an Enabling Act with clear instructions for the Counties to meet in convention to write an agreeable Constitution for their new State. This is where we can draw a comparison between the creation of a State and the Nation,

• Counties are to the creation of the State,

• what the States are to the creation of the Nation.

Now how about The Guarantee. In Article 5 of the U.S. Constitution, we have agreement that the Constitution can be clarified or modified through Amendment, with ¾ agreement of the States. This is not a vote of the population, but a vote of the State Legislative body.

States vary in how they allow for their Constitution to be modified. When a State is to the point that a Constitutional Crisis exists, what is one to do? Think outside of the box, following models of success.

A Republican Form of Government is the guarantee. Our Founding Fathers debated and fought for the balancing of the interests of the Majority and Minority to be protected.

Within your State, if the problems you experience cannot be solved through the Legislature, or access to the Executive branch or Judiciary, then you must consider how is the system of government out of balance?

The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as a Bicameral body of Legislators is a near perfect body of Legislative government. One represents a vote of the people, apportioned accordingly, the other represents the interests of the State, and is apportioned equally to the States.

States were given a challenge in two Supreme Court Decisions in 1962 and 1964, that denied the State Senators the right to be apportioned equally by County. This was a mistake.

Means to correct: The U.S. Constitution provides for a clear pathway in the extreme, to correct a constitutional error, with an Article V Convention of the States. Many States are silent, to an Article V process, within their State. Silence itself does not deny the right to the Counties or people.

Consider then, if a State Constitution is silent, and a crisis exists, the remedy must be the Guarantee of the U.S. Constitution. Counties must have the right to correct an error in judgment, from when they originally created their Constitution, by initiating a “Convention of Counties”.

@ConventionOfCounties or @COC1776

(Discussing CIVIC Truth in a single posting is nearly impossible😊, but we will try.)

For starters, Truth seems to have become tainted, due to News Media and Politics. Often, we are told to follow the money, if you really want to know what has occurred. Some might say, follow the power. In any event it seems that biases are formed if the desire for an outcome is strong enough.

So how does this delivery of Truth impact you and me, our families? Well, to hide the Truth, or overshadow, may nullify any attempt to change conditions. Take any athlete that is at the top of their game, if they are denied the best of equipment, their performance may be sub-optimal. Given the right equipment, they have the capacity to break records.

History has shown that the United States came out of obscurity to become a beacon of hope to the people of the world, in part because “The Republican form of government” protected Rights & Freedoms, with government being ‘the servant of the people’. From the Magna Carta (1215) to the Declaration of Independence (1776) the gains for mankind were slow. From the U.S. Constitution (1789) to today, the world has seen unprecedented benefits come to ALL PEOPLE.

As a people, we have been misled as SCOTUS and early state leaders thought they were doing right by moving to a model of democracy, not realizing they were preparing to enslave a nation.

The Solution

From the Magna Carta to today, we have learned a great deal about localizing government and ensuring Rights and Responsibilities for We the People. Core to this is a recognition for Counties.

Counties have been an optimal building block for governance for centuries. Further, our Founding Fathers created a safety net for Constitutional correction, that included the right for States to call a Convention (Article V Convention) to correct a government that is off-track.

So, what happens when a State is off its tracks? Consider the State Constitution (a contract) to see what solutions are available. If none exist, that are acceptable to the People, then look to the U.S. Constitution for guidance. Drafters to the State Constitution should have included the right to call an Article V Convention to restore balance in fact, Congress should have ensured this action.

County Representation in the State Senate, was removed by SCOTUS, which was a poor judicial ruling, moving each state closer to a Democracy. Progressive politics within society have further clouded our ability to recognize Truth. Today, We the People have a right to support our County Commissioners in calling a Convention of Counties, to restore the voices of Counties into State policies, through reapportioning the State Senate, equally by county. Ensuring this is not about Party politics, as we move to have State Senators, representing the interests of their county.

Support “Convention of Counties”

To Restore a Constitutionally balance State government,

through Study, conversation, more study and more conversation.

The United States of America assures that All States inherit ALL rights associated with this Constitution, regardless of when they entered the Union of States. The States created the federal body of government, making the states the Parent to this federal body of government. Who then formed the States?

The Counties, making the Counties the Parent to their State.

The model for our republican form of Government includes a Bicameral Legislative body, comprised of a House and Senate. Within the Federal structure, the House represents the People and is equally apportioned based on Population with each State having at minimum 1 Representative. The Senate represents the States and is equally apportioned across all States, wherein each state has 2 Senators, regardless of size. This had been the model of a republican form of government, up until 1964.

The WA State Constitution is silent, on what to do when a Constitutional crisis occurs, however the U.S. Constitution, provides for an Article V Convention of States, a concept which has never been tested. Our Founding Fathers were clear, if Rights have not been clearly assigned within the Constitution, then those rights are reserved to The People. The counties once enjoyed direct representation in the State Senate and should be entitled to exercise a Convention of Counties.

Further Support:

Washington State recognizes that Counties are unique in both size and character (See OFM Report, June 2024), as they have passed legislation for Frontier and Rural Counties. (See RCW 82.14.370, (1999), House bill 1835 (2024), as well as RCW’s 43.160.020, 43.330.010, 82.02.010.

Conclusion:

Progressives have been eroding County representation in State government, with SCOTUS complimenting this with rulings from 1962 and 1964. Policies of the time moved the State Senate and Representative elected offices to an apportionment based on population alone. The result, the voice of the Counties was nullified, ensuring that each body was a mirror image of the other, setting the stage for a pure Democracy.

www.ConventionOfCounties.com