Posted on 11/03/2018 3:05:27 PM PDT by Jacquerie
NEW YORK (AP) — Whatever success Republicans have amassed in taking control of all three branches of U.S. government, and whatever fate awaits them as midterm elections near, some on the right are working to cement change by amending the Constitution. And to the mounting alarm of others on all parts of the spectrum, they want to bypass the usual process.
They’re pushing for an unprecedented Constitutional convention of the states. While opponents are afraid of what such a convention would do, supporters say it is the only way to deal with the federal government’s overreach and ineptitude.
“They literally see this as the survival of the nation,” said Karla Jones, director of the federalism task force at the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, which represents state lawmakers and offers guidance and model legislation for states to call a convention under the Constitution’s Article V.
Among the most frequently cited changes being sought: amendments enforcing a balanced federal budget, establishing term limits for members of Congress, and repealing the 17th Amendment, which put the power of electing the Senate in the hands of the public instead of state legislatures.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
An enforced balance budget, with a mandatory paydown of the debt, would be a great amendment.
Why is it that so many conservatives believe that if a Constitutional Convention were held that WE would get our way on things. It could go the other way just as easily.
As of April 2017, there were seven states with Republican control of their legislatures that had not passed a call for a constitutional convention: Wisconsin, Montana, Idaho, Minnesota, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Virginia.
States will send delegates, not reps, with detailed commissions. The most likely outcome of the first COS is no recommended amendments.
Better idea: elect representatives who understand that most Federal employees work at agencies and departments which have are extra-Constitutional, if not blatantly un Constitutional.
And simply put those employees out of work.
if you did, our paper money won't be worth the bits it takes to encode it.
Its gone “the other way” too many times to count since 1913. The months leading to COS will promote a public civics lesson that too many never received in high school.
I don’t care what Levin says, this scares me.
Why not just come up with an amendment one at a time like any other?
Get back to us as soon as you get that done.
I’m advocating to have the interest paid and some portion of the debt paid off in an orderly fashion through a single line of the budget, every single year. The amount set aside to do this cannot be changed, except through a super-majority vote.
Eventually, it would take care of itself.
Amendment stating what cruel and unusual punishment is....and what it isn't.
Amendment stating what an "outlaw" is, the procedure for declaring outlaws, and how they will be hunted and killed without further due process; with application to waging war.
Remove death penalty appeals to SCOTUS unless there is a clear constitutional issue and remand it to the states (or the respective federal court for federal cases).
You may be correct in asserting that elections are pointless.
Its not an unstructured fre for all, they would only vote on the items outlined as to why the convention was being called.
We dodged a bullet in 2016. PDJT can only hold back the tide until January 2025. He alone cannot reform our miserable Senate. Recall that none of the GOP members (all lawyers) of the judiciary committee could screw up the courage to cross examine Christine Ballsey Ford’s obvious lies. Imagine a Senate that didn’t care what the media promotes. Democracy is killing our republic and will do so unless we stop it. I don’t expect much out of the first COS other than it will demonstrate it will not “runaway.”
We’ve been trying to do that as long as I remember.
Trump saved the country, but he’s not going to be around forever.
I can’t think of anyone who will be able to take his place.
When he’s gone the Left is going to start gaining again, unless we can make some structural changes.
Right, and that’s it’s current appeal.
Everyone can fantasize about how the convention would save us by adopting their pet amendment(s).
The real work is building broad and deep support for the specific changes that will be proposed - and those that won’t - but that’s really hard.
All this focus on process instead of substance is fun but puts the cart squarely in front of the horse.
Well, if you dissagree with Levine about sealing the border you are evidently an antisemite.
I don’t give a crap what that screaming old open borders piece of shiite thinks about anything.
Hamilton’s structuring of the US debt provided for a Sinking Fund devoted to paying it down. One of the consequences was that when it was introduced by a five year old country it was rated as highly as that of England or France.
The Left will indeed return.
We didn’t have a runaway scotus before 1913. The 17th made the New Deal, Great Society and all the other Leftist outrages imposed on an unwilling nation possible.
Today, any one of over 650 lower court judges have a veto over the President’s Constitutional and statutory duty to protect our nation.
The experiment of the 17A has more than run its course. Like banning alcohol, its time to correct a big mistake.
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