DEAR EDITOR:

In 1960, Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower asked Congress to raise the federal debt ceiling. By fall 2025, 78 debt-ceiling increases and $37 trillion in debt later, Congress will soon be asked to raise it yet again.

Horrific consequences come from our executive and legislative branches, from Eisenhower to Donald Trump, continuing to “kick the debt can” down the road. No solutions offered.

Two recent national articles have sounded an alarm: the Social Security Trust Fund is projected to run out of money (The Hill, Aug. 6), triggering a mandatory 23% cut in retiree pensions and economic hardship (Fortune, Aug. 8).

Congress, unfettered by term limits, has proven itself completely unable to rein in spending.

The only way to save us from out-of-control federal spending is to structurally change the government. A state convention for proposing amendments per Article V of our Constitution allows for this. Nineteen states have already called for an Article V convention.

The 28% of Ohio’s population aged 60 or older needs assurance they won’t face drastic cuts to their Social Security benefits come 2033.

It’s time for the Ohio General Assembly to act, pass HJR-2 and SJR 3, and join this effort to rein in federal government excesses.

THOMAS M. WAINO

Canfield