The
COMMON SENSE
LETTERS
A Call for a Citizens
Constitutional Convention
In 1776, Thomas Paine wrote a powerful pamphlet that helped convince Americans to choose independence over the British. It argued that when the people don't like their government, they should change it.
Today, 250 years later, a modern American, Thomas Payne, writes for today. Today, people are unhappy with their government. Today, he argues, we should change it.
The Common Sense Letters are a series of ten letters, dated from January to June of 2026.
The ideas are non-partisan, and widely supported by a strong majority of Americans.
The Ten Letters
Read them here, one by one, or download the complete set.
Changing the Government
In this first letter, Thomas argues that citizens are unhappy, and should change their government with a series of broadly supported constitutional amendments.
Read Letter →A Convention
In this second letter, Thomas describes how to hold a Citizens Constitutional Convention (CCC) to effect the desired changes.
Read Letter →Making Proposals Into Law
This letter talks about how the proposals from the CCC can be made into law.
Read Letter →A Balanced Budget
This is the first of six proposals that Thomas would personally propose to the convention, if given the chance.
Read Letter →Term Limits
The second of six proposals that Thomas would propose to the convention.
Read Letter →Campaign Finance Reform
The third proposal that Thomas would propose to the convention, if allowed the opportunity, discusses broad American unhappiness with campaign finance.
Read Letter →Electing the President
Thomas's 4th proposal, concerning adjustments to how the President is elected, to make it more fair to all citizens.
Read Letter →Gerrymandering
Thomas's 5th proposal would eliminate gerrymandering as an affront to fairness in voting.
Read Letter →Reforming the Supreme Court
Thomas's final of 6 proposals would change the way we populate the Supreme Court, to better reflect the will of the voters.
Read Letter →Supporting the Cause
This final letter describes how citizens can join the non-partisan movement to correct deficiencies in our federal government.
Read Letter →