Title: CAUTION / DANGER ROUGH ROAD AHEAD Original CoS Document (slug): [[https://conventionofstates.com/caution-danger-rough-road-ahead|caution-danger-rough-road-ahead]] Login Required to view? No Created: 2024-02-09 08:03:24 Updated: 2024-02-23 03:00:00 Published: 2024-02-09 00:00:00 Converted: 2025-04-14T21:29:26.380556762 ---- By Dr. Tom Dueker I was driving from Clarksville to Nashville on I-24 last Friday when I first saw this sign posted by the side of the road. Initially, I saw it as a reasonable warning to be on the lookout for potholes and other hazards from a major highway in abject disrepair. After navigating around dangers what seemed to be more intense than a video game at speeds between zero and eighty miles per hour at times, I completed the thirty-nine mile trip in just over two hours.  I was concerned for the many pothole paving crews risking their lives during rush hour traffic trying to reduce potential dangers for the rest of us. Their trust that today’s cars can stop on a dime at seventy miles per hour was evident, but perhaps a bit unfounded. \\ \\ On my return trip, I was astounded to see two more identical signs warning about “Rough Road Ahead”; another in Tennessee and one in Kentucky. I had grown used to driving in the left lane heading north-bound on Kentucky’s portion of I-24 to avoid having my car shaken apart by abysmal road surface conditions and inadequate make shift repairs. \\ \\ So much for “Keep Right Except To Pass”. They had actually posted a sign on one portion directing folks to use the left lane due to “Poor Road Surface Conditions”. That’s when it all really hit me and my attitude concerning the situation shifted to the dark side.\\ \\ Obviously, someone in the administrations of each state, as well as federal operatives, had to be aware of the state of affairs to even consider having those signs posted. So they knew these important pieces of infrastructure had deteriorated to the point of becoming a danger to their citizens. \\ \\  Who would let that happen? Who’s responsible? {{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/80031/80031_original.jpg?577x330|greedy politician}}\\ \\  What have they done with all the gas taxes they have collected at the pump from every one of us? Those rates are 28.7 cents per gallon in Kentucky and 27.4 cents per gallon in Tennessee. Add to that the 18.4 cents per gallon federal tax, and it is hard to understand the situation we are experiencing on our important transportation arteries. That means for every twenty-five gallons of gas I purchase at a fill-up, I pay $11.78 cents in tax alone. Hard to imagine isn’t it?\\ \\  Suspect there are many folks like me who fill up their tanks two times a week or even more.  The tax “haul”, the governmental “take”,  must be astronomical for both state and federal agencies. This is further enhanced when you add in the truckers who pay even greater taxes for diesel as well as additional tax for the right to just use the roadways. \\ \\ So where the hell does it all go?\\ \\  Why should there ever be a “need” for some election year special bill focusing on some “Infrastructure” promise? They already have the cash! Or, at least they should. Just another propaganda boon doggle.\\ \\  After recently being given oversight of billions of dollars, where is our Secretary of Transportation in all this mess? Developing non-racial highways and gender neutral intersections as the “Green Deal” is mandatorily imposed? {{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/80032/80032_original.jpg?586x335|rich person electric car}}\\ \\  It was exciting to hear former President Obama’s neighborhood  in Martha’s Vineyard would be receiving EV car charging stations on a priority basis after being deemed a “low income area” last week by the Biden administration. Truth be told, it appears they really don’t give a damn what we think. They actually believe, due to their self-perceived intellectual superiority, they truly know what’s best for all of us. “Smug” is one of many four-letter words I might choose to use in describing them.  \\ \\  These “stewards” of our tax resources are either incompetent, irresponsible, or even worse, corrupt. The cause really doesn’t matter though as the outcome is always the same. We, the People, all lose.\\ \\ CAUTION / DANGER\\ \\ Rough Roads Ahead {{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/80033/80033_original.jpg?579x331|destroyed city}}\\ I now see this new sign by the side of the road as a harbinger of things to come if this nation continues down the path it is currently on. It is the perfect analogy for all the failures of our government. Signs may say something different in the days ahead, but their purpose and intent will essentially be the same. Basically, an excuse and “apology” to you for their incompetence and failure to provide safety and security will be at the forefront of each one.\\ \\ Consider these possible new signs for New York City:\\ \\ -  ON SIDEWALKS AND STREETS  -\\ \\ Please Yield For Moped Gangs\\ \\ \\ -   PROCEED WITH CAUTION IN THIS SUBWAY  -\\ \\ Remain 25 Feet From Tracks At All Times\\ \\ \\ -   PLEASE CALL YOUR SCHOOL THIS MORNING -\\ \\  Random Closures For Illegal Migrant Housing May Occur\\ \\ \\ Here’s One For Chicago:\\ \\ -  BEWARE OF THE ILLEGAL MIGRANTS  -\\ \\ They Want Your Stuff... but,  …No Habla Ingles.\\ \\ How about this for Washington, DC:\\ \\ -  NEVER TRAVEL ALONE - DAY OR  NIGHT  -\\ \\ Keep Car Windows Closed, Doors Locked\\ \\ Avoid Eye Contact – Conceal and Carry\\ \\ Maybe San Francisco:\\ \\ -  DO NOT GO BAREFOOT!  -\\ \\ May Slip On Fecal Matter And\\ \\ Land On Used Syringes\\ \\ How about Portland:\\ \\ -  AVOID PUBLIC AREAS  -\\ \\ If You’re Not There to Use – You Might Just Lose\\ \\ Can’t leave Los Angeles out:\\ \\ -  YOUR SAFETY WHILE SHOPPING IS PARAMOUNT  -\\ \\ Always Use Amazon \\ \\ %%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%\\ \\ What all these suggested signs reflect is that are elected officials all acknowledge there are serious problems. They just seem to choose to do nothing and ignore them. Is that not the reality of today’s world? \\ \\ Whether it’s progressive ideology, ignorance, or corruption the abuse we see happening on the part of our governments at all levels is overwhelming. We keep hoping and working to get the right official elected praying they can make a difference only to be disappointed over and over again. \\ \\ It’s going to take a much larger answer \\ \\ for this much larger problem. {{https://content.conventionofstates.com/cosaction-prod/public/content/images/80034/80034_original.jpg?618x488|convention of states}}\\ \\ How can we essentially take control back from our run away federal government? Can their irresponsible deficit spending and lobby-corrupted influence peddling be reined in? Can the abusive overreach of unelected bureaucrats be ended? Can we, the people, actually reclaim the rights handed down to us over the past 248 years?\\ \\ Just as our Bible shares its “Good News”,\\ \\ The American Constitution has some, too.\\ \\ That “Good News” is found in Article V of our foundational document. Through the foresight of our Founding Fathers, they included Article V to address just such a time as we find ourselves in today; faced with an out of control federal government. \\ \\ The Article outlines how a Convention of States can be called to amend the Constitution itself. This would be independent of Washington influence or control. No Governor nor President has a say in the process and cannot stop it from going forward. Truly, an opportunity for “We, The People” to speak and act to save the nation we all love.\\ \\ This movement is the fastest growing grass roots effort in our history. Over five million, four hundred thousand American citizens of all races, religions, and political persuasions are already involved in support of it. Common sense knows no boundaries based on color, creed, or politics. \\ \\ It is called a Convention of States.\\ \\ The Article 5 Convention of States process simply requires thirty-four state legislatures to approve a specific, limited slate of ideas to be considered in a national convention setting. Only the state House and Senate chambers need approve support of the movement for that State to be counted in. No other official has any say in the action. Governors, the President, and all of Washington have no input or control of the process. This is truly about “We, The People” expressing how we want our government to behave. \\ \\ Proposals that are agreed to and approved at the convention are then sent back to the states for ratification. Ratification is accomplished when thirty-eight state legislatures then vote to approve them. Again, both the House and Senate of each State only are needed to ratify the Convention’s decisions. Once ratified, those “consensus ideas” then automatically become part of our Constitution and become the law of the land. \\ \\ This is not an open-ended, Constitutional Convention capable of upending and undermining all parts of the sacred document itself as many of our opponents falsely claim. The specificity of the concerns to be addressed is in place to preclude just that from ever happening. We seek to refine, not overthrow, the bedrock foundation on which our nation was founded in a manner consistent with the Founders’ intent. \\ \\ Specifically, we seek the following:\\ \\ Term Limits:\\ \\          For all elected officials, the judiciary, and bureaucratic leadership. \\ \\  \\ \\ Annual Balanced Budget:\\ \\         We no longer spend or give away money we do not have.\\ \\  \\ \\ Reining In Bureaucratic Overreach:\\ \\         End government’s intrusive regulations into our day-to-day lives.\\ \\ \\ Though the Article 5 provision of the Constitution has never been exercised before, it was obviously created for just such a time as now.  \\ \\ We currently have nineteen states on board with several more anticipated this year. With your help, it will happen.\\ \\ %%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%*\\ \\ In closing, I hope the “Signs of the Day” become more obvious to you and the “Rough Road Ahead” reality motivates you to join this effort as we seek to save all that is uniquely American for our children, and for theirs. \\ \\ I respectfully invite you to join me and help chart\\ \\ a new direction to restore the America we love.\\ \\ %%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%\\ \\ We don’t need your money but,   …\\ \\ We absolutely need your voice - - today!\\ \\ Go to Convention of States Action by clicking on this link right now!\\ \\                    [[https://conventionofstates.com/take_action|**Join the Fight - Sign the Petition**]].\\ \\ %%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%\\ \\ Footnotes:\\ \\          Kentucky Dept of Revenue, July1, 2023\\ \\          Nick Pope, Daily Caller News Foundation, Jan 31, 2024\\ \\ %%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%%%**%%\\ \\ Dr. Tom Dueker graduated from the United States Military Academy \\ \\ at West Point in 1970. He attended the University of Tennessee Graduate School in Knoxville, Tennessee. After leaving military service as an Infantry Captain, he farmed in Southern Illinois with his brother in a large hog and cattle operation. He later enrolled in Logan College of Chiropractic in St Louis, Missouri. He graduated with his D.C. degree in 1980. He retired from Chiropractic after 40 years and currently lives in Eddyville, Kentucky. He has seven truly remarkable, adult children and fourteen beautiful grandchildren living all over the USA.\\ \\