Congress Critters can propose new amendments RIGHT NOW, why are we afraid of the States? ~ Vanity

[GraceG]

Just having to vent against all the damned ignorance concerning an Article V convention of the states to PROPOSE new amendments to reel in Federal power and hand it back to the States.

Too many people just seem to think that an Article V convention of STATE Legislatures is a RE-WRITE of the entire constitution which it is NOT.

Here are some points to counter the ignorance:

1. The congress can propose ANY new amendments RIGHT NOW already!!!! The Potomac fevered morons that comprise both parties could decide tomorrow to propose a new amendment to repeal the Presidential Term limit amendment and as long as they a good majority it would have to go to the states for ratification ALREADY..... So why are we so damned afraid like feckless sheep in having the states propose an amendment repealing direct election of senators?

2. That being said, it only takes 13 States to BLOCK any Proposed amendment! If we cannot rally 13 states to block a looney bin liberal amendment that is proposed either by the current crop of congress critters or some supposed "runaway convention" of the states proposal for a new amendments then are we not already lost?

3. Golly gee, congress is already ignoring the constitution so proposing a new amendment is pointless.... This is the dumbest damn thing I have ever heard. Obama hasn't ignored the Presidential Term limit amendment.... yet. Many of the amendments that are proposed are very simple and hard to ignore. Tell just how in the hell is a congress critter going to ignore a term limit that is spelled out in simple terms? Tell me how are they going to ignore the repeal of the direct election of senators and hand the decision on how to elect senators back to the states?

4. Nullification is Better... I do believe in nullification, however nullification is a step that should only be used as a LAST RESORT. Congress has also already ignored MANY states laws that were in effect "Nullifiers" Remember California Proposition 8? Remember Arizona's Illegal Immigration Control Law? Gee, Nullification worked worked so damned well in that case didn't it? So any one state can ATTEMPT to nullify a Federal Law, but until the States get MORE power it will be as meaningless as a poodle barking at the train to stop. Gee, maybe if we gave power BACK to the states more and followed the model of Federalism rather than the Statist model we are currently operating under then Nullification could or might work... Right now it is pointless. All they have to do is take a State law up to the Supreme court and then all of a sudden it gets nullified BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT!!!! Completely backwards... One of the proposed Article V amendments actually allows for a majority of the states to Countermand a supreme court decision... That would be handy as heck to have in order to Nullify wouldn't it?

[Repeal The 17th]

The language was agreed upon at the planning session held last year in Mount Vernon.
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Read more at: http://www.conventionofstates.com
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[PapaNew]

Thanks - good stuff.

[slowhandluke]

Voters will have no direct participation in the process.

Exactly my point, different wording. The first posting said "We will ..." (or some such verb), but we, as in anybody here at FR won't be at that convention, and will have no or limited voice in who goes to that convention. So the "we" that you and I and the rest of the FR crowd are part of will be on the sidelines and we won't do anything but cheer or jeer.

If you remember what the Obama campaign did to the Hillary voters in Texas, you'll have a view on what tricks will be used to pack any new constitutional convention.

As the Admiral said, "It's a trap!".

Rule of law starts with enforcing the laws we have. If the current laws aren't enforced now, then whatever laws there are to keep honest the setup and running of a constitutional convention won't be enforced either.