Disgruntled Democrats Want A Constitutional Convention To Leave The Union

ntknetwork.com ^ | December 6, 2016 1:57 pm | Staff

[JediJones]

The GOP needs almost no Democrat votes to get an amendment passed given their massive hold on state legislatures.

Such a bargain would not need to be struck. It would be a highly uneven trade. And you’d expect a bargain like that necessary in maybe a handful of states. You think 20-30 other states are going to vote for an amendment they don’t like just to appease 3 other states? Not likely.

[Red Badger]

People are waking up all over the world...............

[Savage Beast]

But they can leave any time they want to... They just can't take the territory with them.

I suggest North Korea. Or Zimbabwe. Either would be perfect for them.

[Red Badger]

People Got To Be Free
The Rascals

All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just wanna be free
Listen, please listen, that’s the way it should be
There’s peace in the valley, people got to be free

You should see
What a lovely, lovely world this’d be
Everyone learned to live together, ah hah

Seems to me
Such an itty bitty thing should be
Why can’t you and me learn to love one another?

All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just wanna be free (wanna be free)
I can’t understand it, so simple to me
People everywhere just got to be free

If there’s a man
Who is down and needs a helpin’ hand
All it takes is you to understand and
To pull him through, ah hah

Seems to me
We got to solve it individually, ah ah
And I’ll do unto you what you do to me
Said, no

Hear the shoutin’ from the mountains on out to the sea
No two ways about it, people have to be free (they gotta be free)
Ask me my opinion, my opinion will be
Natural situation for a man to be free

Get right on board now, huh, huh

Yeah oh, what a feelin’s just come over me
Love can move a mountain, make a blind man see
Everybody sing it now come on let’s go see
Peace in the valley now, we all can be free

See that train over there?
Now that’s the train of freedom
It’s about to ‘rrive any minute, now
You know it’s been’a long, long overdue
Look out ‘cause it’s a’comin’ right on through
Ha, ha, yeah, ha, ha, yeah

Songwriters: Edward Brigati / Felix Cavaliere
People Got To Be Free lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

[Wneighbor]

Thanks Publius. That is indeed a good laugh at the end of an arduous day.

I spent the day at my state capitol with the CoS folks talking to Senators and Reps about getting on board an Article V Convention in Texas. Fortunately we have a sitting governor on board who clearly laid out the necesary law and procedures to all state congresscritters present. As of today we have bills filed in our House and Senate ready to go for the next session beginning Jan 10, 2017.

Hearing what this rat senator has to say is funny. Not so funny are the misconceptions I’m reading by the commenters to this thread. We FReepers owe it to our nation to educate ourselves on an Article V Convention of States. It’s a great opportunity, not some horrid theft of liberty.

[Publius]

This is the usual boilerplate that I post to Article V threads for those who don't understand the principles or the process.

***

The amendatory process under Article V consists of three steps: Proposal, Disposal, and Ratification.

Proposal:

There are two ways to propose an amendment to the Constitution.

• The Congressional Method requires the House and Senate to pass an amendment by a two-thirds majority.
• The Amendments Convention Method requires the legislatures of two-thirds of the states to apply to Congress to call a Convention for Proposing Amendments. Once the two-thirds threshold is reached, Congress is required to set a time and place for the convention.

Article V gives Congress and an Amendments Convention exactly the same power to propose amendments, no more and no less.

Disposal:

Once Congress, or an Amendments Convention, proposes amendments, Congress must decide whether the states will ratify by the:

• State Legislature Method, or the
• State Ratifying Convention Method.

The State Ratifying Convention Method has only been used twice: once to ratify the Constitution, and once to ratify the 21st Amendment repealing Prohibition.

Ratification:

Depending upon which ratification method is chosen by Congress, either the state legislatures vote up-or-down on the proposed amendment, or the voters elect a state ratifying convention to vote up-or-down. If three-quarters of the states vote to ratify, the amendment becomes part of the Constitution.

Forbidden Subjects:

Article V contains two explicitly forbidden subjects and one implicitly forbidden subject.

Explicitly forbidden:

• No amendment may be added to the Constitution concerning slavery or capitation taxes until 1808. We’re well past that deadline.
• No amendment may be added to the Constitution to change the principle of equal representation in the Senate unless every state deprived of that right approves. If California wants five senators, every state must have five senators. To permit violation of this principle, every state would have to ratify the amendment, not just three-fourths.

Implicitly forbidden:

• The Constitution of 1787 may not be abrogated and replaced with a new document. Article V only authorizes “a convention for proposing amendments to this Constitution;” therefore, the Constitution of 1787 is locked in place forever. Congress and an Amendments Convention have exactly the same Proposal power; therefore, neither Congress nor an Amendments Convention can start over. Both bodies can only propose amendments.

Reference works:

Frequently Asked Questions About a Convention of the States

Proposing Constitutional Amendments by a Convention of the States: A Handbook for State Lawmakers

State Initiation of Constitutional Amendments: A Guide for Lawyers and Legislative Drafters

[dware]

Such a bargain would not need to be struck. It would be a highly uneven trade.

You're absolutely right. BUT, as I said before, the right is expert at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. An A5 Convention will NOT be the roses and rainbows that supporters make it out to be.

[Wneighbor]

How can this be Mark Levin’s idea when it was written into the Constitution in 1787? I first learned about Article V conventions in high school civics about 1973. Had to do papers on them in US govt college classes a couple years later. You’re giving Levin too much credit (or age.)

Since the Convention can’t even take place without 34 states aboard the idea of liberalizing the Constitution is a far fetched notion promoted by scare tactics from the left and Rinos. No amendment (change) to the Constitution can even take place without the passage of 38 state legislatures. Look at all that red on those election maps and try to figure out how something outrageous to our Republic would pass 38 states.

The smear campaign about secret votes and the possibility of unauthorized amendments being proposed by an Article V convention is also a blatant lie. There are no “secret” Congressional votes.

Don’t take my word for any of this. READ the Constitution. Read the historical record of law. All delegates and alternates are accountable for their votes. There are felony penalties for violating the mandate given delegates.

[Wneighbor]

Thanks for reposting. I was about to copy/paste (steal) some of that from previous threads. LOL

[georgiarat]

Much Better! THanks. THis one really shows the changes in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and PA.

[Publius]

As Clarence Carter once said in a 1968 song: “Steal Away.” There are a lot of state legislators who would benefit from that information.

[Jacquerie]

Speaking of ignorance, Publius Huldah was shredded in my last few blog posts. You should check them out.

[Wneighbor]

I had a good time today with my “stolen” info. We have the ball rolling to add Texas to the list of states aboard an Article V convention. In 2015 it passed the House but got stuck in committee in the Senate. 2017 appears that the Senate will be the easy part and the House needs more education. Today that was taken care of hopfully. After a day of on-site effort, including a VERY good description of the need and mechanics of Artical V by the governor, it looks like we have the necesary votes in the Texas House again.

Doing my happy dance (while lying down on the couch worn out!)

[Publius]

Greg Abbott knows his Constitution. It was his job before he became governor.

[Deplorable American1776]

Pssst, Zoe Moron, er I meant Zoe Lofgren... We are not - and never have been - a democracy. We been a republic...

Now, Zoe, why can't Dems remember that fact? My 10 year old daughter knows the differences between each form of government! An adult congressmoron can't?

[Jacquerie]

Yeah, Lofgren is quite a twit.

[IronJack]

the majority ruled by the minority.

You mean like the 2 percent of the population that are fags demanding that the other 98 percent bake them wedding cakes and pretend the homos are married?

You mean like the 13 percent that are black demanding that the 87 percent that aren't feel guilty for having some made-up "privilege?"

You mean like the 20 percent who actually wanted obamacare versus the 80 percent who thought it sucked?

You mean the .002 percent of the population that are "transgendered" insisting that the 99.998 percent recognize that they are whatever gender they say they are?

You mean like the 1 percent of American citizens who are muslime requiring that the other 99 percent accommodate their barbaric, offensive sensibilities?

Is that what you're talking about?

[Publius]

...Lofgren is quite a twit.

Buy a vowel.

(DUCKING BEFORE I GET ZOTTED)

[Wneighbor]

You would have loved hearing Publius shredded once again at the Texas Capitol. No one mentioned her name but the governor, a couple of reps and my senator sounded as tho they were rebutting her also. Her blathering obviously has too many people in the dark although I did not hear a soul espousing her misguided thinking :)

Our job is not done tho. I have hope that Texas will get this passed in 2017 but it’s no time for Texans to stop writing and calling Senators and Representatives. Too easy for things to stall. My wonderful husband took off work to drive me down and participate as I could not walk. I’ve got to stay down till I see my doc on Friday. I think it’s a great time to write follow-up letters clarifying the urgency of passing these bills.

Praying for other states to take this time of conservative republican ideals and pass similar bills. The time is right.

[Jacquerie]

OUTSTANDING. Good on ya.