Jun 13, 2023
Convention of States is a process using Article V, States option, to add amendments to the U.S. Constitution. A Convention of States would gain the attention of the corrupt Federal Government.
Over the years, actually two centuries, there have been multitudes of State applications for various amendments. There’s a requirement in Article V that 2/3 of the States must apply for any given Amendment. Since no application ever reached that threshold, there were no Conventions. Most people may not be aware that the States have the power to amend the Constitution.
We have 27 amendments so far, all proposed by Congress. However, you may not know that the 17th was originally a States application that almost reached the 2/3 requirement. Before the 2/3 number was met, Congress did the proposing. Could it be that Congress doesn’t want a Convention of States to be called? The 17th was/is for direct election of U.S. Senators in lieu of having them elected by State Legislatures, and obviously detracts from the true federalism that the Founders originally intended. The 17th, meant to solve the government corruption problem, has not been successful. So, yes, it’s possible that the States might propose something bad, but in the particular case of Convention of States, the proposal, like the Bill of Rights, is meant to expressly limit Washington politicians. Carefully worded amendments could effectively remove any wiggle room for these self-serving politicians and Congress will not want to limit itself.
Opponents of Convention of States, and any Article V Convention at all, say they’re too dangerous. Are they dangerous? Of course, and that’s why the Founders added the requirement that 3/4 of the States are needed to actually ratify an Amendment, and that requirement applies no matter whether the proposal comes from Congress or from the States.For the record, the States option was added to Article V for the express reason that Washington could become too abusive. It’s meant to bypass Congress altogether.
Federalist Paper No.85, written by Alexander Hamilton, leaves no doubt:
“The words of this article are peremptory. The Congress ‘shall call a convention.’ Nothing in this particular is left to the discretion of that body. And of consequence all the declamation about their disinclination to a change, vanishes in air”.
Read that carefully. The John Birch Society says the Necessary and Proper Clause gives Congress power over the Convention call, as in the fox guarding the henhouse. Not according to Federalist 85.
You can read it for yourself at: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Hamilton/01-04-02-0248
The Convention of States petition is found at: conventionofstates.com. At this site, you will also be able to send a computer generated email to the respective State Legislators.
Eric Knutson
