Utah House calls for constitutional convention to rein in federal government

sltrib.com ^ | 2/3/17 | Lee Davidson

[cotton1706]

The Utah House called Friday for a convention of the states to consider new amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which supporters said is the only way to rein in an out-of-control federal government.

It passed HJR3 on a 45-29 vote, and sent it to the Senate for consideration.

The resolution calls for a convention that would consider amendments to "impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress."

"We are in jeopardy of losing our republic," said HJR3's sponsor, Rep. Merrill Nelson, R-Grantsville. "States are no longer equals in our government. States must be restored to their roles as sovereign, equal partners."

[Jacquerie]

Here’s Nelson’s five minute speech on YouTube. It is well worth your time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwE6UupCMWU

[Art in Idaho]

Thanks Wneighbor. Hope the links help and your sojourns to Austin have been beneficial. If I may ask, what is the general reception/knowledge base of the legislators you've talked with?

[central_va]

There are only 11 states that have ever successfully reigned in Federal tyranny albeit only temporarily.

[Pollster1]

10th Amendment: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

The problem is not the Constitution. The problem is that the Ctrl-Left refuses to follow the clear letter of the Constitution, and the GOP is too passive to force the issue. A second Amendment saying the same thing would be just as ineffective.

[Art in Idaho]

Are we really going to kid ourselves that RINOs only exist in Washington, D.C.? . . Aren’t these the friends of Rove, the GOPe, and the globalist movement? . . These are state level and lower wonks, that oppose us on many issues. . Do I have confidence that state level people made up from this group will do the right thing?

As others have mentioned, a lot of the state legislators are private business people and they tend to have a different take on things. Hopefully, there would be enough of them that would do the right thing. If we don't at least attempt it, then it's status quo and progression as mentioned above.

Sometimes I just default to the fact that most people are good people, know right from wrong and want to do the right thing. To not pursue the Article V process that our wise Founders provided is tantamount to malpractice of the citizenry. I think they, given what we know, (and I'm sure we don't know the half of it), would say, "Go for it! What do you have to lose. You're near full on tyranny already."

I am reminded of a pic I saw recently:

My other default when I used to worry about this is what nathanbedford said: "It requires only 13 statehouse legislatures from 13 different states out of 99 legislatures in 50 states to block an amendment. The problem is not a runaway convention, the problem is getting any amendment through."

[Publius]

Rep. Nelson sounds like he’s been reading my posts.

[Art in Idaho]

Thanks for posting.

A great summary by Rep. Merrill Nelson: "Now is the time for states to push back. . . Today, the Federal Government would be totally unrecognizable to our Founders. It has so far exceeded its delegated powers. Today, the Constitution is hanging in the balance and now is the time for the states to step forward, assert themselves and rebalance the Federalism in this country."

[Jacquerie]

I emailed Nelson last night to thank him, and his reply was in my mailbox this morning. Class.

[Art in Idaho]

Yes. Classy and well said. I'm glad Trump is expecting professional dress, part of the culture we need recover.

[Wneighbor]

Outstanding.

Which reminds me, I set myself the task of phone calls today. I’ll give them till 2 to have a mid-afternoon constituency call.

[Wneighbor]

I agree Art. I am also very much in favor of this work ethic he’s returned to D.C.

He’s working as many hours as my hubby at least and that impresses me greatly :)

[Art in Idaho]

Good point. Hadn't thought of that, but it's a definite top down attitude - "We're here to get work done." Charge!

Overall a good message for the country rather than the liberal, hang loose, slipshod, hippy, lazy, have a joint attitude. Sounds like Obama?

[Wneighbor]

Yup. WE all work our tails off to keep a roof, food and clothing. Tax free day gets later and later every year. I want my elected officials to have to work like that too. President Trump let it be known from day 1 he was there to work! I don’t know about anyone else, but as I watched his inauguration I had a sense he was thinking, “Let’s get this over with so I can go to work.”

OTOH, possibly it was better that zero did not work so much.

[Art in Idaho]

. . but as I watched his inauguration I had a sense he was thinking, "Let’s get this over with so I can go to work."

lol, I had the same thought.