Posted on 01/16/2014 4:59:35 PM PST by Slyfox
Recently, The New American has reported on the efforts by radio talk show host Mark Levin and others to push for a constitutional convention (a convention of the states, in the parlance of the proponents).
In his new book, Levin argues that such a convention is the last hope “to reform the federal government from its degenerate, bloated, imperial structure back to its (smaller) republican roots.”
Unfortunately, many otherwise well-educated and well-meaning conservatives have succumbed to Levin’s siren song and they have gone so far as to deny the constitutionality of nullification and to insist that an Article V convention is the only way to restore the balance of federalism in our Republic.
(Snip)
Its doubtful that Mark Levin’s legion of listeners would be as eager to get behind his Article V con-con agenda if they knew whom they were fighting beside and how radically their new allies want to change our beloved Constitution.
And that’s the problem. Regardless of the soothing words of Levin or others in the con-con camp, they cannot guarantee the outcome of such a convention. In fact, in light of the lists of leftist groups provided above, the results of the convention could be an outright scrapping of the Constitution written by the Founders in favor of one more in line with the progressive ideologies of Wolf-Pac, the Sierra Club, Code Pink, and others.
(Excerpt) Read more at thenewamerican.com ...
Article V ping.
I, for one, don’t care to think about the necessary eventual alternative to Levin’s plan.
An Article V Convention of the States is N-O-T a “con-con”.
Once again, an author writes about things he does not understand.
Indeed. Even if this pipe dream comes to fruition, which it won’t, it could easily be hijaked by the left.
Meant to Ping U2.
Only a John Bircher could come up with this claptrap... putting Soros in the same camp as Levin? Bwhahahahahaha! Add in this runaway convention alarmism on top of it? Bwahahahahahaha! This is straight up nut job conspiracy pingworthy.
FU New American.
We want our Old America back.
*** BEGIN ***
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.
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:
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:
Implicity forbidden:
I have two reference works for those interested.
The first is from the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative pro-business group. This document has been sent to every state legislator in the country.
Proposing Constitutional Amendments by a Convention of the States: A Handbook for State Lawmakers
The second is a 1973 report from the American Bar Association attempting to identify gray areas in the amendatory process to include an Amendments Convention. It represents the view of the ruling class of 40 years ago. While I dislike some of their conclusions, they have laid out the precedents that may justify those conclusions. What I respect is the comprehensive job they did in locating all the gray areas. They went so far as to identify a gray area that didn't pop up until the Equal Rights Amendment crashed and burned a decade later. Even if you find yourself in disagreement with their vision, it's worth reading to see the view of the ruling class toward the process.
Report of the ABA Special Constitutional Convention Study Committee
This convention might just pull the rotten part of our government out by the roots.
So expect lots of pushback from the side where most of the rot comes from.
That is what I thought as well.
They will pretend to be conservatives posting conservative opinions.
What do these idiots think has been happening to our Constitution since the days of Woodrow Wilson?!! Compliance?!!
In a word to Joe the author of this... Bu||spit!
This is an Article V Convention for the proposal of Amendments!
There are NO provisions in the US Constitution for a con-con unless we decide to abandon it and adopt a new one.
Regardless of what this turd says, It will still take 34 states to ratify ANYTHING an Article V convention were to propose to the states.
There is ZERO chance of a “runaway con-con”!
Use the correct language... “An Article V Convention for the Proposal of Amendments”... Jeeez...
When Levin is right he is really right and when he is wrong he is really wrong. Article V convention is not the way out of our mess.
What difference does it make what the Constitution says if the President and Congress refuse to obey it?
Well, Repeel,
If Soros wants it, it ain’t a good thing.
And for me, it is a con-con in disguise. The commie pig bastard will trample ALL OVER the ball less pubbies in short order.
IMHO, let’s just start small. First things FIRST.
Start an activist push in red states to REPEAL THE 17th! That poison amendment that led us to the likes of McKaniac and his kindred souls.
IMHO, if we could REPEAL the 17th, then sanity would be returned to the Senate, where the Red States OUT EFFIN NUMBER the blue.
We could change things subtly, quietly, and cleanly, without taking the risk that an Article V would entail. I’d love to see the MSM try to EDUCATE low IQ/Info voters why they should OPPOSE repeal of the 17th.
I know, I know, I know. TECHNICALLY, an Article V is NOT a con-con.
Convince the low IQ, Low Info, Whiny Minorities and GD Baghdad Bob press of that!
It would be a media onslaught like we have NEVER seen. Pubbies will “Fold at the Knees Like a Cheap Camera!!” (Long Live Bob G.)
The Constitution is STILL in place, it is STILL in Force. We just need Senators with the gonads to enforce it. Even if that means IMPEACHING that BLACK man in office. In defiance of street thugs and other screaming socialists.
Correct. And there are only two ways that could be done.
Regardless of what this turd says, It will still take 34 states to ratify ANYTHING an Article V convention were to propose to the states.
38 states. It takes three-fourths to ratify, not two-thirds.
You mean, Soros is pretending to want it to create a false narrative?
The John Birch Society has opposed an article V convention for some time. They publish New American and are staunch constitutional conservatives, I do not doubt their motives at all. But it is only their opinion that an article V convention could make things worse, but they really have no alternatives. It is my opinion that an article V convention is the last step before armed conflict to restore the republic. I am not sure that one can be arranged, but an all out attempt for peaceful return to Constitutional liberty and justice should be exhausted before the lead flies. When and if an article V convention comes, I hope the John Birch Society will have a voice in the amendment process to restore this once great nation back to its place as a beacon of light and liberty.
Thank you for the correction... Fat Fingered it on the keyboard... 38 & 3/4 ...
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