As the federal government stumbles into yet another shutdown, Maryland Republican gubernatorial contender John Myrick is calling for a nuclear option: a Constitutional amendment that would automatically fire every member of Congress the moment they fail to pass a budget by October 1.
In a one-page position paper obtained by MDBayNews, Myrick and his running mate, Dr. Brenda J. Thiam, argue that Congress has turned fiscal responsibility into a punchline. Since the 1974 Budget Act took effect, lawmakers have managed to pass all required appropriations bills on time just four times in 50 years — in 1977, 1989, 1995, and 1997.
“Four times. That’s it,” Myrick writes. “If you or I failed at our core job 92% of the time, we’d be out of work. Congress gets a raise.”
The Myrick Plan: “Fire Them All”
The Bowie businessman’s fix is blunt: trigger a Constitutional Convention of the States to propose two sweeping reforms.
1. 16-Year Term Limits for Members of Congress A policy supported by roughly 80% of Americans in repeated polls.
2. Automatic Dissolution of Congress for Missed Budget Deadlines Under Myrick’s proposal, if Congress fails to pass a budget by October 1:
State governors would have 30 days to appoint replacements.
No ousted lawmaker or immediate family member could be reappointed.
New members would be barred from any legislative business except passing a budget.
Government operations would auto-fund at 90% of the prior year’s level, ensuring paychecks for troops and federal workers.
No retroactive pay for fired lawmakers.
“Why should millions of Americans suffer for the failure of 535 politicians?” Myrick asks. “If Congress can’t meet the most basic deadline in the job description, they should be treated like anyone else—fired.”
Shutdowns by the Numbers
The proposal lands amid a federal shutdown that has already furloughed thousands of non-essential workers and threatens back pay for federal employees. Since 1980, the government has shut down 14 times, including the 34-day record shutdown in 2018, costing taxpayers billions while lawmakers continued collecting salaries.
For Maryland’s 130,000 federal workers in the D.C. metro region—many at Fort Meade, the NSA, and the Social Security Administration—the stakes are personal.
Political Fallout and Feasibility
Critics are calling Myrick’s idea “unworkable.” A Constitutional Convention has never been convened under Article V’s state-application process, and 34 states would need to agree just to open the door.
Myrick counters that the threat alone could bring change.
“Maybe if their jobs are on the line, they’ll finally do the job,” he told MDBayNews.
While skeptics dismiss the plan as political theater, supporters see it as the ultimate accountability mechanism—Congressional malpractice with consequences.
Rising Outsider
Myrick, a political outsider with no prior elected office, is gaining traction among grassroots conservatives frustrated with Washington gridlock. His “shutdown manifesto” has gone viral on conservative X feeds and talk-radio call lines, where supporters hail it as bold, no-nonsense leadership.
Detractors warn it’s a fantasy that distracts from bipartisan budget dysfunction—but Myrick’s message is clear:
“Accountability starts at the top.”
Campaign Information
John Myrick is running for Governor of Maryland as a Republican. For more information, visit johnmyrickformdgovernor.org.
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