Posted on 06/12/2014 5:10:40 AM PDT by Jacquerie
State Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, will join some 105 delegates from 33 states at the Indiana Statehouse on Thursday and Friday for the second meeting of the Convention of the States planning group dubbed The Mount Vernon Assembly.
Arnold did not attend the group's first session in December at George Washington's Virginia estate, but said he jumped at the chance to participate this time when Senate President David Long, R-Fort Wayne, an organizer of the planning group, asked Arnold to join him and state Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, as Indiana's delegation.
However, because an Article V convention never has been called, there are no clear procedures on how it would begin, what rules the convention would follow or whether it could be limited in scope.
Long said The Mount Vernon Assembly is focused on putting a parliamentary structure in place for a Convention of the States, "so that we can have consensus on how this thing is going to be run" prior to Congress authorizing the convention.
"Without this structure, it won't work," Long said.
Arnold said many Hoosier legislators and lawmakers in other states agree that something must be done to bring the federal government under control, and a Convention of the States just might be it.
"There's a lot of unhappiness out there, on both sides, about out-of-control spending in Washington, mandates Washington makes on states, bureaucracy and so forth," Arnold said. "I hope that this striving to have a convention is where some of these things will be answered."
(Excerpt) Read more at nwitimes.com ...
Well, then you can’t be worried about the 2A.
And how would you propose to do that?
I would look at an Article V convention the way a doctor is supposed to look at a patient - "First do no harm". I can't imagine how you can avoid that if you get all these bozos in the same room and let them mess with the Constitution.
State Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte: "There's a lot of unhappiness out there, on both sides, about out-of-control spending in Washington, mandates Washington makes on states, bureaucracy and so forth."
These things make the heart of any Democrat flutter with joy. I think he's an agent provocateur, an infiltrator sent to learn what the enemy is planning. Throw him out! Or, at a minimum, make him forswear the Democrat party and join the Tea Party under penalty of death.
“Effect.” Duh.
Everyone condemns the 17th Amendment but I'll point out again. Without the 17th Amendment David Dewhurst is the current junior senator from Texas, Bob Bennett is still the junior Senator from Utah, and Todd Cochran will be looking forward to his umpteenth term.
We have nothing to lose.
Things can always get worse. And with the kind of people that would be elected to an Article V convention it probably would.
Why would you let them?
Did you have your heart set on shooting your way out of this?
That's true. There's Cruz. And there's....uh, um, ... , give me a sec here.
at this very moment, the Senate is holding committee hearings for proposing an Amendment to limit 1A
(AKA Koch Amendment)
We’re talking about political power here — do not for a moment assume it only “...would be to propose amendments...”. My main concern is the agenda, and who controls it. That is why I do not like the idea of an Article V Convention.
Right now we can propose amendments in Congress. Because of Obama we probably won’t be successful at getting them implemented, but it would be a start.
Propose a marriage amendment, making it only between one man and one woman.
Propose an amendment declaring life began at the Universe’s Creation (one cannot make a baby from inert or dead materiel).
I believe both are entirely possible to pass and send to the States.
"Every Representative and Senator who votes for a bill which increases the federal debt, and which passes and subsequently becomes federal law, will be assessed .001% of the amount of the increase, to be paid from his or her personal funds (not from any government-designated fund for such payments). Conversely, every Representative and Senator who votes for a bill which decreases the federal debt will be paid .001% of the amount of the decrease."
This would give them each some "skin in the game." Make increasing the debt hurt, and make decreasing it rewarding.
Amendments added to the Constitution thus far have been initiated by Congresses. What this article is describing is a Constitutional Convention that is initiated by the STATE legislators. States have the power to also propose amendments. This is about proposing procedures for such a state led convention.
It would require 2/3 of the states to propose it and 3/4’s of the states to ratify any amendment.
First, divide power between the states and the government they created.
Second, divide it up into three parts within the federal government.
That way, no one man or group of men could exercise despotic power. That maxim is as valid now as in 1787, and needed more than ever.
The Framers got it right.
This is going to be a cluster f***.
The DemonicCrats don't even obey written law. Imagine a wide open field. Good bye 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 10th Amendment.
What does Obama have to do with constitutional amendments? That's a legislative function.
/johnny
“Our backs are against the wall. Even if the dangers are as you say, our once republic is now an authoritarian state, where the law is what Obama and his criminals say it is. “
Good point. The convention of states is the voice of the states against overbearing federal authority. Such a convention will produce amendments that shift power from the feds toward the states. That is at the core of what will happen. Anything related to the 2nd amendment, 1st amendment, or such would be too far off the focus of such a convention and would never get sufficient support—although some wacky states would propose such crap in order to form a quasi-coalition with the fed govt apparatus—think California and Illinois who might seek to form an economic backup amendment funneling fed funds to states that can’t manage their piggybanks.
Convention of states politicians are not the same as fed politicians because these two entities are competing for the same power, that is, the power derived from the labor and taxes of the working citizens. A difference is that the states are closer to those citizens and far less able to show citizens disrespect. Another difference is the between-states competition that is not much of a fed issue.
The convention of states is a good idea and the only predictable, managable idea for avoiding the disaster that the fed gov’t is racing towards. Otherwise, the numbers are clear—the US is driving toward the situation of Argentina,, Japan, Greece, and other hopeless economies
Yes, and I prefer proposed amendments to the U.S.Constitution to continue being created in Congress, thank you very much!
Are 3/4’s of the States presently dominated by Conservatives? I really don’t think so, and any such Convention will in general have the appearance of a pooch sc..w!
He’s criminal. He will interfere.
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