Oklahoma House defeats resolution for convention of states

newsok.com ^ | 4/22/15 | Rick Green

[cotton1706]

The state House defeated a resolution Tuesday that would have added Oklahoma to the list of states petitioning Congress for a convention to alter the U.S. Constitution.

Senate Joint Resolution 4, which failed 42-56, was intended to have the state participate in a convention that may propose “amendments to the United States Constitution that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the term of office for its officials and members of Congress.”

Rep. Gary Banz, R-Midwest City, said the imperative to balance the federal budget outweighs the numerous questions surrounding such a convention, which is permitted under Article 5 of the Constitution.

“This is perhaps one of the most significant votes you will take in the time you are here,” he said. “The opposition to this is focused heavily on the how questions at the expense of why we are using Article V of the Constitution to address one of the biggest problems we face as a nation. When you are knee deep in alligators it’s hard to remember your original purpose was to drain the swamp.”

Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, said a convention of states could alter the Constitution in dangerous ways. “Members, we are venturing on grounds that are uncertain,” he said. “There are many who believe this would be a runaway convention.”

The U.S. Constitution requires petitions from two-thirds of the states, or 34 of the 50, to call an Article 5 convention. About 25 have done so.

[Art in Idaho]

Hey Oklahoma: Sarah Palin: Debunking the myths of a Convention of States

From the Article:

"Here’s the bottom line.

We already have a runaway Congress and a runaway President.

The founders gave us Article V of the Constitution to stop them.

It’s time to use it!"

[tacticalogic]

Nothing but queers and steers.....

They seem to have lots of lipstick, too.

[TEXOKIE]

As I understand it, the John Birchers have a large say in the conservative circles of the state. JB says it is a con/con and would lead to a huge mistake.

[central_va]

You don’t want a convention of states with Obama and his Criminals around

A convention of states has nothing to do with the Federal Govt. FedGov can not stop it or condone it.

[servantboy777]

For this exact reason, I’ve always said a convention of the states would never happen.

There are very powerful, influential politicians that will not cede their power easily.

Now what? We vote, we write, we call...rinse and repeat.

A movement for Article V convention being defeated...we call, we write, we vote....????

Seriously, what now?

[servantboy777]

>>FedGov can not stop it or condone it.<<

With all respect...yes they can. There are just as many RINOs in state government as there is in federal government.

Many state reps/senators aspire to make the national scene.

You don’t play their game...you’ll never make it to D.C.. Where do you think the Oklahoma delegation to D.C. comes from? The states.

[chris37]

Exact same one.

It basically states that the US constitution is whatever we say it is on any given day.

[nathanbedford]

It appears that conservatives who oppose reforming the Constitution by the path offered in the Constitution fall into one or more of these categories:

1. NRA. The National Rifle Association has come down on the wrong side of the article 5 movement and I think for thoroughly selfish and unpatriotic motives. Their opposition certainly represents lopsided thinking they believe that the Second Amendment alone can preserve our liberties because the reforms they oppose are certain to results inevitably in gun violence if the NRA is successful and conservatives cannot successfully wage war against the superpower.

2. The John Birch Society. This organization mindlessly opposes most reforms because it interferes with their pet reform of nullification, a hopeless fantasy that those who have any knowledge of American history between 1861 and 1865 dismiss out of hand.

3. Phyllis Schlafly. Her organization opposes almost every amendment process reflexively.

The idea that there will be a runaway convention when Republicans control 69 of 99 legislative houses and would need only 13 to frustrate a liberal amendment is belied by simple arithmetic. I suspect that those who are knowledgeable of this Oklahoma legislator will tell us that he is deeply involved with the NRA. I suspect that this is the real problem in Oklahoma.

[nathanbedford]

please see my #88.

It looks like the NRA is winning.

[central_va]

I think the convention of states, as proven by this vote, is too unwieldy a process to stake our liberty on.

Ok stop right there. Compared to the 19th century USA

We no longer have our liberty.

So a CoS is not really risking anything, it can only be to the upside. The republic is dead, and if you don't know what that means then God help you.

[central_va]

The stupidity and timidity displayed here is a unmitigated disaster.

[servantboy777]

>>I guess you are just another Federal boot licking fool.<<

Wow...nice insult. Very reminiscent of the type of guyz up in Tarrent co. Texas that just about ruined open carry for folks here in Texas by sophomoric, knee jerk comments to a state legislature.

Grow up.

[central_va]

Grow a pair.

[demshateGod]

Why would we need COS then? We could just apply our own state constitutions and be done with it.

[servantboy777]

If other Article V conventioneers are as childish, it’s no wonder the movement is stumbling.

Have fun stormin the castle.

[SuperLuminal]

“There are many who believe this would be a runaway convention.”

So....Does this weenie think that we do not have an out-of-control, runaway federal government?

[Jacquerie]

Absent the NRA, our right to self defense/guns would have been excised either by statute or onerous regulations long ago.

The NRA, as premier defender of the 2A, demonstrates precisely WHY our republic must have an Article V convention. Nothing gets the attention of pols better than the threat of electoral defeat, and the NRA promises that to any of those brave enough to think they can trash the 2A without risk.

My point, as demonstrated by the NRA, is that as a practical matter, our rights exist only when there are institutions capable of defending them. No NRA, no 2A.

I wish Article V opponents would recognize that simple fact. The 9A/10A, and indeed all enumerated powers and limits are hardly more than historical oddities without state appointment by state legislators to a senate of the states.

I grow weary of those too lazy to do some real research, who blindly believe whatever the birchers or Schlafly or other blind mice shriek.

[Catholic Iowan]

DesertRhino: I think you are actually 100% correct in your assessment. I once thought a Concon would be a good thing. But then I started considering that whatever conservatives would hope to gain (and there are much less conservatives than Republicans, as they definitely are NOT synonymous) out of a Concon, you have to think the liberals would be chomping at the bit to convene a Concon for all the havoc they could do with the Constitution. They could finally put in things that up to now really are not found, such as a right to abortion, same-sex marriage, as well as destroy our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to bear arms, etc., etc. Right now we are not in a position of strength, especially when a good percentage of the Republicans in office already are eager to sell us out!

[Monorprise]

The federal employees in black robes have already been altering and ignoring the Federal Constitution in the most dangerous ways possible for the last 50 years.

Its hard to imagination changing the text of the constitution in anyway but to bring accountability to the lawlessness of Washington’s employees being any less dangerous than continuing to let them rewrite it on their own as they have been doing.

As for a balanced budget amendment I don’t really see that as being too terribly helpful, as its supporters claim it to be simply because it fails to address the revisionist corruption of the Federal ‘court’ system which has already rendered the text of the Constitution but a blank sheet upon which to write and rewrite their own rules & policy. Adding a mandate to congress to keep the budget balanced may help for a short time but in the end like in California it won’t make much of a difference.