Here We Go Again was a lengthy article about the Convention of States (COS). By the time the reader came to the end of it, there might have been some information exhaustion to really check out some of the links. However, the most important information was in The Plot Thickens section.
Contained in that section was a link to a 2018 video by the Heritage Foundation, Hitting the Brakes on Overspending and Debt. The Foundation invited Jan-Egbert Sturm, Chairman of the Swiss Debt Brake Group of Experts from Switzerland, to explain its Swiss Debt Brake system that keeps government spending and debt in check. As noted in the prior article, Rep. Shirts used this language, debt brake, in his House State Affairs committee testimony on February 3.
The video begins with Mr. Sturm explaining how the debt brake system works in Switzerland, followed by a general discussion. At the 28:48” mark, the question was asked of Barry W. Poulson, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Colorado, how this could be applied in our federal government. His response was stunning.
Mr. Poulson replied that he and some colleagues applied the Swiss Debt Brake model to the U.S. over a two-decade period starting from 1992. The details of how that worked was then explained. However, he stated for it to work, $700 billion dollars in savings would have to be generated every year for two decades to get the debt ratio down, and that was 2018 numbers. As he explains, entitlements would have to be part of those savings, but it would also have to include consideration for selling some “federal assets”, “the $55 billion dollars in resources held on federal land”, perhaps achieved by proposing a new “Homestead Act“, meaning selling that land to the public.
In order to acquire those billions, he went on to state “we” would have to “transfer resources, land and mineral resources, back to the states, privatize, devolution, let the states manage resources”. He then went on to explain how the TABOR act works in Colorado.
Other discussion followed and at the 57:25” mark the question was asked about a balanced budget amendment, to which Mr. Poulson replied the effort must go to state legislators to begin enacting Article V for an amendment. He then mentioned the Balanced Budget Amendment Taskforce and recognized David Biddulph in the audience who works with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). An ALEC video on the balanced budget amendment can be watched in the aforementioned article.
Searching information on this Taskforce led to the Balanced Budget Now (BBN) 501(c)(3) based on Washington D.C.. According to Sourcewatch, the purpose of this group is “to educate state legislators, members of Congress and the general public regarding…potential solutions which include a Balanced Budget Amendment proposed by Congress or the states via convention.”
Loren Enns is listed as the BBN President and who is also the Heartland Institute Director of State Campaigns, BBA Task Force (BBATF), a 501c4. Sourcewatch lists Idaho as a BBN target and Enns has been running the Idaho campaign to educate the public and legislature, appearing before the Senate Judiciary & Rules Committee in 2024 for the Balanced Budget Amendment resolution.
There is a 990 form for BBN, but not for BBATF, that lists “CSNDS.ORG“ as the BBN website. The website does identify itself as BBN, and along with Enns as the President, lists prior members of congress and governors on the Board of Directors, including Idaho’s own Butch Otter. On the website home page there is a box called The Path: Article V. According to the box, Article V can be used as a ”threat” to call a convention. The “threat” language was echoed by Rep. Shirts in his testimony.
On the 990 form, BBN describes its mission: “TO ILLUMINATE THE AMERICAN MIND WITH THE KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY TO REOGNIZE (sic) THE THREAT POSED BY THE U. S. NATIONAL DEBT, AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL SOLUTIONS OUR FOUNDING FATHERS MADE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.” Enns is listed as President, and former governors Mike Huckabee, Scott Walker, Gary Herbert, and Idaho’s own Clement (Butch) Otter, as directors, along with some others.
Sourcewatch lists Gov. Little on the Governors Debt Council Project in 2025. Although the Council now comes up as a 404, it is in the archives. The archives lists the Council as a project of the Fiscal Reform Coalition but information on this group is limited except it being an educational non-profit and was revoked in 2023. However, along with other governors in 2025, Gov. Little signed a letter to Congress that originally endorsed the BBN campaign, but was later changed to working with DOGE and the Trump administration on a balanced budget.
In the video, Mr. Poulson finishes up by saying “…we would combine this, we need a set of fiscal rules that links the balanced budget amendment in our Constitution with statutory rules like the Swiss Debt Break”. It isn’t just about a balanced budgetamendment; it is to decree how that would be done. As in the Swiss model, there might also be a panel of “experts“, rather than Congress, who would control the budget. What a great way to eliminate representation and the ongoing bickering between parties, dismantle the Republic and move towards technocracy.
Bearing in mind that this discussion took place in 2018, today, eight years later, its accomplishments are seen. The Idaho House passed HCR 25 on February 6, it will now be up to the Senate for full passage. The intent to use the resolution as a “threat” and include fiscal policy changes like a “debt brake” have been revealed by Rep. Shirts, the message originating from BBN. State legislators who have been “educated” by outside forces may just be enough for full passage of HCR 25.
While Mr. Poulson proclaimed they would gain their 28th state by the next year, 2019, it wasn’t achieved until this year, referring strictly to a balanced budget amendment. Meanwhile, COS claims 20 states have signed on for calling a convention with no clear indication if it is for a balanced budget or term limit amendment.
Looks like BBN is fudging its numbers, Wyoming is out and New Hampshire’s resolution did not pass.
If BBN is correct, only five more states are needed to make the “threat” of calling a convention to Congress, and six to force Congress to call a convention of the states.
The depth of this agenda is frightening, and it is now more evident that the intent has been repackaged as a “threat” to Congress, and regardless of an amendment by Congress or the states, the other objective is influencing fiscal policy in the direction of a debt break using Switzerland as the model. Convention of States (COS), Heartland Institute, Heritage Foundation, ALEC, and the BBN are just a few organizations hammering state elected officials. It doesn’t appear these organizations are technically working together, but there is overlap with individuals between the groups, they all know each other. Maybe COS, which is familiar to most, is just a front group for distraction from those who are really running the show. While harsh words come to mind, it is left up to the reader for their own interpretation.
In an attempt to scrutinize this issue impartially, maybe these individuals are correct, maybe many frustrated Americans will see this as the light for getting the federal government under control. Perhaps, as they say, our Founders did leave us Article V as the way in which to rein in the federal government. Maybe states should join together for an amendment that constitutionally forces Congress to behave better as Article V allows.
Learning about the Swiss debt break, which has few negatives, well, maybe that is a good direction as well. Using natural resources for debt, as Mr. Poulson suggested, has already been hinted at by Sec. of Commerce, Howard Lutnick (1:48”) and privatizing public land has been proposed. Both ALEC and COS have been very reassuring with its strategy that the possibility of a runaway convention won’t happen. Easy-peasy, “threatening” Congress with a new constitutional amendment that lays out the fiscal requirements for a balanced budget will yank Congress into action.
And hey, after all, these individuals, groups, and those that are a political has been, well they are far more sophisticated, experienced, and wise than constituents.
To these individuals it doesn’t matter that the original 1787 convention was a runaway, that intent for an amendment resulted in the Articles of Confederation being replaced with the Constitution. It doesn’t matter that several of the Founders were fearful this could happen again. The fact that Article V does not provide guidance for a process for states to follow also doesn’t matter, these groups and individuals will do that for the states. Just because highly populated states might come to the table with more delegates than smaller states like Idaho is also irrelevant to them. This majority and those who are driving it in the background will decide how voting is accomplished. Heck, the same clique can create and vote for new rules in case anything comes up.
Without a clear Article V direction, these groups can just announce resolutions last forever and can’t be rescinded, can include topic specific issues, and regardless, can all be grouped together. Since there are no Article V procedures about how decisions would be made at a convention, they might just see their future role as taking charge of it, kind of like what they are doing now.
After all, even though congressional members behave badly and don’t follow the Constitution, they will certainly behave better and follow a new amendment. If all else fails, the responsibility could be turned over to experts.
This whole mess is like going to the dentist who hasn’t yet learned how to use the drill, and the instruction manual is missing.
For further confusion, this 2017 Congressional Research Service report addresses many of the questions that have arisen on both sides.
It’s up to each constituent in the end, to contact their legislator and advise them how to vote.
