You arrive at your first meeting in Philadelphia. A group of national organizations have been meeting to discuss a “National Recommitment to the Constitution.” They’re clear that the convention has two parts. The first phase will be recommitting to the high values enshrined in the Constitution — such as free and fair elections. And the second phase will involve changes to the Constitution of “obvious things, like clarifying that corporations aren’t people and money isn’t speech.” In the Trump era, these principles have never felt further away.
For a moment, you’re worried it’s all just talk. But one leader explains, “You know those government workers wearing paperclips? That movement is already using our language and guidance for their Constitutional Oath.” The Constitutional Oath is a pledge to refuse any orders that undermine the Constitution, with an eight-point affirmation of the core principles.
The whole convention feels almost optimistic, starkly different from the toxic political environment. Despite lower poll numbers, Trump continues filling the government with his loyalists. The courts eventually approve his Schedule F reclassification — 50,000 government workers are now being systematically replaced by Trump loyalists. Bureaucratic fights rage across many institutions. Trump installs judges across the country who gerrymander election maps in multiple states to give Republicans long-term power.
These moves are discussed in the convention. In great detail, people lay out constitutional guardrails and explain how small reforms could ensure free and fair elections. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds. But you make some strong relationships and find the people quirky and brilliant. Most intriguing, they plan a participatory process to “renew our sense of the Constitution.” They envision tens of thousands of cities and towns across the country simultaneously deciding on key principles and values based on the Constitution. You’re hooked. One of the leaders asks if you want to join their national leadership committee or build a local convention in your town.