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What are the Pros and Cons of a Convention of States?
So, it seems we are toast.
This was Ricochet’s overwhelming verdict. The United States is doomed. I admit I took this a bit badly. (I’d always thought it must just be me. I figured a brisk walk, some sunshine, and a stiff drink would set me right. Apparently not.)
There was, however, one response that got my attention. HVTs suggested something I’d never once considered: Using Article V of the Constitution to call a Convention of States:
…. there is a viable way that can turn our ship of state out of the the shoal waters it’s presently navigating.
Fortunately, the Founders foresaw the possibility (some felt it was a likelihood) that concentrating power in a Federal government ran the risk of it becoming a source of oppression every bit as onerous as George III. They left us with a solution as big as the problem: Article V.
Article V, which spells out how to propose and ratify Constitutional amendments, ensures that the States have the means to amend the Constitution without any interference from Washington’s despotic, out-of-control political class. The solution, then, resides with us.
We have all the Constitutional levers we need. We have to stop snivelling, get engaged, stay engaged and demand our State legislators seek the remedies we need through Article V of the Constitution.
Have a look at the website and tell me what you think. I thought it was an interesting idea.
What do you think: Is it worth a shot?
Published in General
I just read the list of Liberty Amendments. We should probably have a separate thread on them. That would be an interesting discussion.
Luke is right. This issue resides at the crossroads of American history, Constitutional Law, political theory and political practice. That’s a busy intersection at which the traffic lights usually malfunction.
JoE – as you read Levin’s The Liberty Amendments, it might be useful to know the book was released eight days after Convention of States Project’s website went live in August 2013. Levin and our group were travelling on parallel tracks that have since merged.
He is on our Legal Board of Reference, which consists of nine prominent legal scholars and practitioners. The Board signed our Jefferson Statement, designed to briefly address concerns such as surfaced in this thread.
The Statement came about after these experts “discussed and debated arguments for and against the use of Article V to restrain federal power and evaluated its potential to be used safely and effectively.”
I hope it succeeds in convincing you and others that—although all issues at our busy intersection can’t be addressed in one short “Statement”—there are exceptionally well respected legal minds that have diligently considered the Constitutional and other issues involved.
In particular, please note this passage: “This process is controlled by the states from beginning to end on all substantive matters. A Convention of States is convened when 34 state legislatures pass resolutions (applications) on an agreed topic or set of topics. The Convention is limited to considering amendments on these specified topics.” (My emphasis.)
This mitigates, in my view, your Citizens United concern.
Good idea! I’ll start it.
I hope so.