Jaywalking with Convention of States Opponents

ArticleVBlog ^ | February 25th 2019 | Rodney Dodsworth

[Jacquerie]

When did a republic extricate itself from imminent tyranny through the election of better or more virtuous people?

Perhaps Article V opponents will point to the election of President Trump. There’s no doubt that he is a reprieve, but a reprieve is just that, a temporary interruption, a finger in the dike to the tide of tyranny.¹ Can we somehow do likewise with Congress and Scotus? Just elect better congressmen and senators who in turn will only consent to conservative judges? Is it reasonable to believe we can do with Congress in the future what we haven’t done since the 17th Amendment of 1913? Or are we to forget about an incorrigible Congress and wager our liberty on a Trump-like successor in 2024?

The corollary to electing better people is the Article V COS opponents’ sugary bumper-sticker slogan to “Just Enforce the Constitution we Have.” Here, they disregard the structure of government, as if the 17th Amendment doesn’t matter, and any ol’ construction will suffice to secure liberty. On what historical or philosophical basis do they build these beliefs?

They are built on the belief that the 1787 Constitution is proof of a virtuous people. If they weren’t virtuous, it follows they wouldn’t have bothered with our wonderful Constitution. Yet, if governmental structure is irrelevant, and the people back then were virtuous, why didn’t the government of the Articles of Confederation achieve its stated purposes? Should the states have sent better delegates to the Confederation Congress? Had the people sent better men to their state legislatures perhaps the states would have obeyed the Articles of Confederation and complied with tax requisitions and obeyed the peace treaty with Great Britain. We read the admonition to send better people not only at conservative forums, but regularly from the otherwise patriotic JBS, Publius

[BDParrish]

You want me to wade through all that but if you understand my sincere question I would be grateful for your thoughts. The left will twist the words regardless of what you write, so I suppose that an Article V convention might produce something that would cause our side to fight back effectively for a change?

[Nuc 1.1]

Sad to say. Fear, malice, or ignorance drives them.

[Taxman]

I read your post: Con-con is NOT the answer!

[Truth29]

"My question is, once the matter is on the table, what makes one think that conservative principals will prevail as the outcome?"

Indeed. Looking at the recent track record of Republicans and Conservatives vs. the Left, I would worry we would end up with a redraft more appropriate for the old East Germany.