Michigan legislative action thread
Posted on 06/12/2014 6:25:45 AM PDT by CharlieFiveAlpha
The Mount Vernon Assembly – Indianapolis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Skip Brown skip.brown@iga.in.gov 317-232-9521
The Mount Vernon Assembly to Meet at Indiana Statehouse June 12 and 13
INDIANAPOLIS (June 9, 2014) – More than 100 state legislators representing 33 states will meet at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis on June 12 and 13 to continue establishing the rules and procedures needed for a future state-led convention for proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as authorized by Article V of the Constitution. The meeting is a continuation of efforts that began in December 2013 at George Washington’s historic Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.
The Mount Vernon Assembly – Indianapolis will not be considering any specific constitutional amendments. Rather, it will focus on building the framework needed to hold a potential amendment convention in the future, should one be called by the states under Article V of the U.S. Constitution. MEETING ITINERARY: The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET on June 12 and June 13. A full itinerary for The Mount Vernon Assembly – Indianapolis is attached.
PUBLIC VIEWING AREAS: For members of the public wishing to be in the Statehouse during the event, there will be a public viewing area on the second floor, north atrium of the Statehouse with television monitors displaying a live Internet stream of the meeting.
LIVE INTERNET STREAM: The Mount Vernon Assembly – Indianapolis will be streamed live online. Those wishing to view the live Internet stream remotely should use the following links: · Main sessions in the Indiana House Chamber can be viewed here (click on “House Chamber”): http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/session/house_video_archive/# · The breakout session of the Rules and Procedures Committee can be viewed here (click on “Senate Chamber”): http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/session/senate_video_archive/ · The breakout session of the Judiciary Committee can be viewed here (click on “Room 404”): http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/session/house_video_archive/# · The breakout session of the Planning, Communications and Finance Committee can be viewed here (click on “Room 431”): http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2014/session/senate_video_archive/#
###
Charlie, thank you for sharing this! Listening to this now. It’s exciting hearing the many elected officials from all over the country who are attending this meeting in Indianapolis. I have been adding States as I hear them, and it sounds like every single State is represented there.
What states are represented?
Sounds like every single State is represented there. Listen now, it’s happening now.
Is there a summary of the amendment(s) they are proposing? This could be very good... or very bad.
Near-infinite money buys near-infinite government. And how does the organizational dynamic of bureaucrats with near-infinite money behave? The Iron Law of Bureaucracy says they will expand their power and control until some other power stops them. Back when government spending was limited by what the taxpayers were willing to pay for, the primary constraint upon government was that there simply was not enough money to fund every foolish bureaucratic desire. So, government tended to be forced to pay attention to its legal and Constitutional responsibilities first in proper priority. Now, with near-infinite money, there are far fewer spending constraints, and thus it is far easier for bureaucracies to run amok.
Secondly, bureaucracies can even entertain their darkest worries about what threats might challenge their powers. Thus we see the rise in private bureaucrat armies. What founding father would have thought that the government’s own property management agency, the Bureau of Land Management, would need a sniper team? How else do we explain the auditors for the Department of Education really need to carry sidearms?
Third, in a world of electronic information, government has given itself permission to destroy the meaning of the Fourth Amendment, just in case someone comes to their attention.
Every day more people are coming to the judgment that a carefully organized effort to repair the constitution via the States’ power to propose and ratify amendments has less risk to our liberty and prosperity than the present trajectory of the federal government and especially the federal bureaucracy.
I disagree. I think the powers that be are not worthy to carry the shoes of the original framers. I'd rather have a worthy Constitution not followed, than an unworthy one that is followed.
A constitutional convention is a terrible error.
When all else fails, why not trying to use the Constitution we presently have?
If it's anything like the Convention of States proposed by the Citizens for Self-Governance, it will not be a "Constitution Convention" but an Article V Convention of States with an agenda LIMITED to proposing amendments that cuts the size of government and limits taxes. It's a very hopeful effort.
An actual "Constitutional Convention" is itself illegal and unconstitutional.
I didn’t get in from the beginning. Does this have to do with the fact that some states want to do away with the electoral college?
There is nothing in the Constitution that limits what a convention can propose.
Article 5: The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress;
Why, that would be as radical as trying the immigration legislation we already have!
No. This is a meeting to discuss setting up rules for a convention of the states to amend the Constitution.
In the long run though isn't that the reason they want to amend it, is to get rid of the electoral collage so popular votes not delegates decide the presidency? Which I am 100% against.
This is what I’m in favor of - check it out.
http://conventionofstates.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/COS_Handbook.pdf
Hmmmmmm. I’ll be watching this with a wary eye.
” I’d rather have a worthy Constitution not followed, than an unworthy one that is followed.”
It is my position that the risks posed by the current trajectory of the government under the Constitution, as the three branches allow it to be interpreted, is now clearly more dangerous to liberty taken as a whole, than the risks that the States will propose something that erodes or destroys our rights and that the supermajority of States will ratify any such changes.
- Obama is playing golf and on his cellphone to El-Quaboing… Good morning Iraq!
http://conventionofstates.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/COS_Handbook.pdf
Within the limited scope of the subject of limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, example of topics for proposed amendments are.
- A balanced budget amendment.
- Reducing federal spending power (fixing the General Welfare Clause).
- Reducing federal regulatory power (fixing the Commerce Clause).
- A prohibition of using international treaties and law to govern the domestic law of the United States.
- Limitation on Executive Orders and Administrative Agency Law.
- Imposing substaive checks on the Souprem Court including term limits.
- A limit on federal taxation.
The only one I don’t support is the balanced budget amendment because it gives politicians “wiggle room” to justify raising taxes. The key is LIMITING SPENDING and the size of the federal government. I would also add another topic for a proposed amendment.
- Limit federal enforcement power over the first ten amendments (fix the 14th Amendment to its original intent: ONLY a prohibition on state segregation laws (as confirmed by the Supreme Court in the Slaughterhouse Cases of 1872)).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.