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Smashing the DC Monopoly: Using Article V to Restore Freedom and Stop Runaway Government
Pork-barrel projects like the $452 million “bridge to nowhere” and Keynesian economic debacles like the $840 billion stimulus package that saved as few as 600,000 jobs ($1.4 million per job) have led to a staggering $20 trillion in national debt—about $150,000 per citizen). With most members of Congress focusing only on their own interests, it’s time to smash the DC elitists’ monopoly and rein in spending and extraconstitutional overreach.
Although the Constitution established a framework for limited federal power and expansive personal freedoms, self-interested politicians and activist court rulings have seriously imbalanced the system. Smashing the DC Monopoly provides the solution to how we the people can finally wrest control away from Washington insiders and back to our local and state representatives.
Having spent more than fifteen years fighting government fraud and irresponsibility, Sen. Tom Coburn reveals that at least $150 billion could be saved annually by eliminating waste and duplication in the federal government. Indeed, while serving on the Simpson-Bowles Commission Senator Coburn worked on a proposal to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over ten years (which, although a good first step, is but still a drop in the bucket compared to the federal government’s $143 trillion in unfunded liabilities).
Yet the profligate spending and mismanagement continue unabated. In fact, the growth of government has led to a divided, debt-ridden nation of dependent citizens with decreasing personal freedoms. It’s time for the people to take charge.
The Constitution's Framers anticipated a time when self-interested officials would be unwilling or unable to act in the people’s long-term interest. Thus they included the safety feature of Article V that allows the people to propose amendments to the Constitution through the actions of their state legislatures. Already a growing number of grassroots organizations are actively promoting a convention of the states to address issues such as mandatory balancing of the federal budget, term limits on congressional members, and limits on the federal judiciary.
Giving up on the political class, Smashing the DC Monopoly argues for an Article V amendments convention as the best solution to limit the power and scope of the federal government. The book provides the historical background for Article V, reveals past attempts to hold an amendments convention, explains the inherent safety of this process, and examines the current efforts since 2010. Senator Tom Coburn explains how we the people can at last rebalance our governmental system and counter the dysfunction in Washington.
Complete with a list of resources and organization fighting for the people, Smashing the DC Monopoly is your guide to standing up for the next generation and defeating the “me-first” Washington elite who are mortgaging our country’s future.
Although the Constitution established a framework for limited federal power and expansive personal freedoms, self-interested politicians and activist court rulings have seriously imbalanced the system. Smashing the DC Monopoly provides the solution to how we the people can finally wrest control away from Washington insiders and back to our local and state representatives.
Having spent more than fifteen years fighting government fraud and irresponsibility, Sen. Tom Coburn reveals that at least $150 billion could be saved annually by eliminating waste and duplication in the federal government. Indeed, while serving on the Simpson-Bowles Commission Senator Coburn worked on a proposal to reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over ten years (which, although a good first step, is but still a drop in the bucket compared to the federal government’s $143 trillion in unfunded liabilities).
Yet the profligate spending and mismanagement continue unabated. In fact, the growth of government has led to a divided, debt-ridden nation of dependent citizens with decreasing personal freedoms. It’s time for the people to take charge.
The Constitution's Framers anticipated a time when self-interested officials would be unwilling or unable to act in the people’s long-term interest. Thus they included the safety feature of Article V that allows the people to propose amendments to the Constitution through the actions of their state legislatures. Already a growing number of grassroots organizations are actively promoting a convention of the states to address issues such as mandatory balancing of the federal budget, term limits on congressional members, and limits on the federal judiciary.
Giving up on the political class, Smashing the DC Monopoly argues for an Article V amendments convention as the best solution to limit the power and scope of the federal government. The book provides the historical background for Article V, reveals past attempts to hold an amendments convention, explains the inherent safety of this process, and examines the current efforts since 2010. Senator Tom Coburn explains how we the people can at last rebalance our governmental system and counter the dysfunction in Washington.
Complete with a list of resources and organization fighting for the people, Smashing the DC Monopoly is your guide to standing up for the next generation and defeating the “me-first” Washington elite who are mortgaging our country’s future.
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2017
52 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Tom A. Coburn
21 books6 followersTom A. Coburn, M.D. was elected to the U.S. Senate on November 2, 2004. Dr. Coburn and his wife, Carolyn, a graduate of Oklahoma State University and former Miss Oklahoma, were married in 1968 and have three children and five grandchildren. They are members of First Baptist Muskogee.
Prior to his election to the Senate, Dr. Coburn represented Oklahoma's Second Congressional District in the House of Representatives from 1995 through 2001. He was first elected in 1994, then re-elected in 1996 and 1998, becoming the first Republican to hold the seat for consecutive terms. Dr. Coburn retired from Congress in 2001, fulfilling his pledge to serve no more than three terms in the House.
In 1970, Dr. Coburn graduated with an accounting degree from Oklahoma State University. One of the Top Ten seniors in the School of Business, Dr. Coburn served as president of the College of Business Student Council.
From 1970 to 1978, Dr. Coburn served as manufacturing manager at the Ophthalmic Division of Coburn Optical Industries in Colonial Heights, Virginia. Under his leadership, the Virginia division of Coburn Optical grew from 13 employees to more than 350 and captured 35 percent of the U.S. market.
After the family business was sold, Dr. Coburn changed the course of his life by returning to school to become a physician. Again he emerged as a leader, becoming president of his class at the University of Oklahoma Medical School where he graduated in 1983. He then did his internship in general surgery at St. Anthony's Hospital in Oklahoma City and family practice residency at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith.
Dr. Coburn returned to Muskogee where he specializes in family medicine, obstetrics and the treatment of allergies. Dr. Coburn has personally delivered more than 4,000 babies.
Dr. Coburn also is a three-time cancer survivor.
Prior to his election to the Senate, Dr. Coburn represented Oklahoma's Second Congressional District in the House of Representatives from 1995 through 2001. He was first elected in 1994, then re-elected in 1996 and 1998, becoming the first Republican to hold the seat for consecutive terms. Dr. Coburn retired from Congress in 2001, fulfilling his pledge to serve no more than three terms in the House.
In 1970, Dr. Coburn graduated with an accounting degree from Oklahoma State University. One of the Top Ten seniors in the School of Business, Dr. Coburn served as president of the College of Business Student Council.
From 1970 to 1978, Dr. Coburn served as manufacturing manager at the Ophthalmic Division of Coburn Optical Industries in Colonial Heights, Virginia. Under his leadership, the Virginia division of Coburn Optical grew from 13 employees to more than 350 and captured 35 percent of the U.S. market.
After the family business was sold, Dr. Coburn changed the course of his life by returning to school to become a physician. Again he emerged as a leader, becoming president of his class at the University of Oklahoma Medical School where he graduated in 1983. He then did his internship in general surgery at St. Anthony's Hospital in Oklahoma City and family practice residency at the University of Arkansas, Fort Smith.
Dr. Coburn returned to Muskogee where he specializes in family medicine, obstetrics and the treatment of allergies. Dr. Coburn has personally delivered more than 4,000 babies.
Dr. Coburn also is a three-time cancer survivor.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 30, 2017
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly! Former Senator Tom Coburn gives a great account of the history of waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government and the history of AritcleV Conventions and why we've never had one. Senator Coburn's book is a must read for anyone concerned about the economic situation in America and all who want to save our great nation.
May 27, 2022
"My last years in the Senate had been hampered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's claming down on members' ability to offer amendments and force debate on important issues." (p 1)
Thus Senator Coburn left the corruption in DC to better serve America as Senior Advisor to the Convention of States Project...the non-partisan solution for the bipartisan problem in Washington, D.C.
Impeccably written through the lens of the status quo inside the beltway, Senator Coburn explains how an Article V amendments' proposing convention will restore limited government.
"The election process was intended by the Founders to be the primary means for the people to express their will in government. Yet repeated elections have failed to provide leadership to restore and unite the nation." (p xii-xiii)
"The Article V-convention provision in the Constutition enables the people to act through their state representatives when Congress is unwilling or unable to address dysfunction in government." (p xiv)
Thus Senator Coburn left the corruption in DC to better serve America as Senior Advisor to the Convention of States Project...the non-partisan solution for the bipartisan problem in Washington, D.C.
Impeccably written through the lens of the status quo inside the beltway, Senator Coburn explains how an Article V amendments' proposing convention will restore limited government.
"The election process was intended by the Founders to be the primary means for the people to express their will in government. Yet repeated elections have failed to provide leadership to restore and unite the nation." (p xii-xiii)
"The Article V-convention provision in the Constutition enables the people to act through their state representatives when Congress is unwilling or unable to address dysfunction in government." (p xiv)
October 15, 2024
Personally, this was a harder sell when I first heard of the book than it is now. With the stronghold of big government being exposed through the COVID -19 Pandemic, I think the likely hood of Dr. Coburn's idea actually working is quite a bit higher than it was when I first heard of the book. This may well be an idea whose time has come - If its not too late, and the deficit isn't insurmountable. He worked with both Democrats and Republicans without betraying his principles, as the Dr. No of the House, Ron Paul did, and I believe they were two who probably could have accomplished it - if they had enough popular support...It would be wise to read the book to see the whole argument in full.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
This is a difficult book to like to read as it's essentially a history of Our Republic form of government and how are founders included Article V of the Constitution which allows a Convention of States Delegates to propose Amendments. The author was a MD a US House Representative and US Senator and now works to correct our US National Debt by working for an Article V Convention of States.
November 16, 2017
How to save our constitutional federal republic.
All Americans need to read this book and decide weather they want our government to continue to increase in size and unsustainable expense or to limit spending through an Article 5 Convention of States amendment.
All Americans need to read this book and decide weather they want our government to continue to increase in size and unsustainable expense or to limit spending through an Article 5 Convention of States amendment.
June 14, 2017
well-written and well-documented. There is no good reason why we-the-people can't change what our overreaching Congress and WDC bureaucrats are doing to us.
June 22, 2017
Part history book, part constitutional primer, this book is very informative and well-written. I'd highly recommend anyone of any political affiliation to give it a read.
July 6, 2018
Joining the movement now
After you read it, you'll see no other viable option. Article 5 is supported by all the conservative intellectuals. Must read
After you read it, you'll see no other viable option. Article 5 is supported by all the conservative intellectuals. Must read
January 6, 2026
Former Senator Coburn lays out the case for an Article V convention and details the history of interstate conventions during the founding era along with early American history.
August 7, 2024
Every courageous state legislator and every concerned citizen should read this book, if only for the knowledge of their right to a significant but never-before-used check on the power of the federal government. It's an excellent, well-researched primer on the Article V convention mechanism in the U.S. Constitution, including the scholarship, historic precedent, and relevant court rulings.
Dr. Coburn also examine the writings of the Framers to determine why they felt the convention method should be utilized, and he wraps up the book by reviewing the various Article V convention campaigns over the course of American history, touching on how they have impacted the nation and what lessons might be drawn.
As a U.S. Senator, the late great statesman Dr. Coburn was well-acquainted with the overwhelming problems within the federal government. Upon experience, he echoes the sentiments of the great economist Milton Friedman, who once observed that electing the "right people" would never work, because the structure of the government is now rigged against the interests of everyday Americans. Coburn reveals how he finally came to the same conclusion--that Congress was incapable of fixing the problems it had created--and why he came to support a constitutional solution as big as the D.C. problem, one that the Founders designed precisely for a time like today.
Dr. Coburn also examine the writings of the Framers to determine why they felt the convention method should be utilized, and he wraps up the book by reviewing the various Article V convention campaigns over the course of American history, touching on how they have impacted the nation and what lessons might be drawn.
As a U.S. Senator, the late great statesman Dr. Coburn was well-acquainted with the overwhelming problems within the federal government. Upon experience, he echoes the sentiments of the great economist Milton Friedman, who once observed that electing the "right people" would never work, because the structure of the government is now rigged against the interests of everyday Americans. Coburn reveals how he finally came to the same conclusion--that Congress was incapable of fixing the problems it had created--and why he came to support a constitutional solution as big as the D.C. problem, one that the Founders designed precisely for a time like today.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews