Thread: Time for a Constitutional Convention

A Constitutional Convention Can Rein in Washington
April 1, 2010
Constitutional Convention. There’s no need to fear crazy amendments since the results would have to be approved by 38 states.
BY JAMES M. LEMUNYON WSJOnline.com

The U.S. Congress is in a state of serious disrepair and cannot fix itself. It has reached this point over the course of many years—in fact over many decades. Regardless of the party in power, Congress has demonstrated a growing inability to effectively address the major issues of our time, including soaring federal debt and the extension of federal authority to states and localities.

The only effective remedy is constitutional reform to rein in congressional excesses and abuses. But Congress can’t be expected to propose amendments to fix itself, as it has an inherent conflict of interest.

The remedy is in Article V of the Constitution, which permits a convention to be called for the purpose of proposing constitutional amendments. Any proposed amendment then would have to be ratified by both houses of 38 state legislatures (three-fourths of the states). This entails 76 separate votes in the affirmative by two houses of the 38 state legislatures. (Nebraska, with its unicameral legislature, would be an exception.)

Interest in calling a first-ever Article V convention is growing at the state level. A petition for such a convention passed the Florida Senate last month, to propose amendments requiring a balanced budget and to restrain the growth of the national government. If approved by the House, Florida would be the 20th state with an active call to do so. In the Virginia House of Delegates, I introduced a resolution (H.J. 183) calling for a constitutional convention to restrain the national government as well. Requests by two-thirds or 34 states are required for a convention to be called.

Yet while there is growing support for a constitutional convention, this support is not universal, even among Americans who advocate limited government and adherence to the original intent of the Constitution. In fact, several states that passed petitions for a convention during the 1980s have rescinded them in recent years.

The principle problem for critics is that it may not be possible to limit the agenda of a constitutional convention. In addition to an amendment relating to a balanced federal budget, for example, a “runaway conventionâ€

A Constitutional Convention would merely destroy the beautiful document with which we've already been blessed. All one need do is look at the 67,000 pages of IRS tax code and the 2700 pages of Obama Care to know what a Constitutional Convention would do to our highest law of the land and the only document of law that separates us from total tyranny.

The problem isn't the Constitution. The problem is the people we elect to Congress who fail to uphold it.

It's a trap!


With the globalist controlling the money supply, I'd bet they have big plans for something like this happening and turning it to their advantage.

Originally Posted by StokeyBob

It's a trap!


With the globalist controlling the money supply, I'd bet they have big plans for something like this happening and turning it to their advantage.

Exactly. We must never have a Constitutional Convention. Our country is too infested with enemies, foxes watching the hen house, wolves in sheeps clothing, frauds, imposters, cheats and those who would seize this opportunity to dissolve the United States.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

A Constitutional Convention would allow these satraos and vermine to setup a real nasty tyranny. If you think it's bad now under the reign of usurpers and malcontents, just imagine if these same crooks wrote a new Constitution. They have no moral compass to guide them.

And it must be remembered as James Madison noted that every word in the Constitution is a decision between liberty and tyranny. These bozos would have us reduced under absolute despotism with no way out. Even our way of forcibly defending ourselves would be stripped. No thankyou.

I used to think it was a bad idea, but now I'm not so sure. With how much they've perverted the system now, how else is the destruction of the Republic going to be stopped?

Do you really think it likely that we can get the anchor baby provision clarified in the Constitution without something like this? I'd like to see term limits for Congress, but do you really think Congess is actually going to vote to term limit themselves? I'd like to see something that says laws must apply to Congress and the POTUS too, so that they can't exempt themselves like they did with the recent Obamacare debacle. I'd like to see repeal of the 17th amendment, so the States get back some of the power the Founders intended them to have. I don't see any of this happening without a Constitutional Convention, but I also am very unsure if a Constitutional Convention would work and not be a gigantic waste of time.

I think he has a good point that it's unlikely that the legislatures of 38 out of 50 states would approve some radical re-structuring of our nation. However, I also think such a convention would likely get bogged down with debate and be a waste of time, unfortunately.

It would be nice if a Contitutional Convention could do a re-set and get us back to the original intent of the founders, but I just don't think it would work because it would get sabotaged by the radical left one way or another. It's a nice idea in theory, I just don't know if it's practical.

It's a trap!

I agree with you Stokeybob.

keep what we have...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-60wln ... ure=digest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CeifAbU ... ure=digest

great info on the 14th in two parts

Originally Posted by hardlineconstitutionalist

keep what we have...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-60wln ... ure=digest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CeifAbU ... ure=digest

great info on the 14th in two parts

Except for the 16th Amendment, which must be repealed.

They need to keep their hands off of the constitution and be forced to follow the constitution that we have. They need to start dismantling every thing that is not constitutional...it would be slow but it could be reversed if the will was there....just like our border could be secured if the will was there.

We have to demand it! We can take our country back it is never too late!


Sorry but there is just not enough people out there we can trust to mess with the most important document in our country....

look at our elected officials we elect them one day and the next they break every promise that got them elected.