Koch Convention to Rewrite Constitution Runs Into Roadblocks






BBA momentum stalls









More radical measures gain momentum




Max Abbott contributed to this article.

Arn Pearson



Deep South? Excuse me, but when I last looked at the map (and at the history of the Civil War), Indiana, Arizona and Alaska were about as far removed from the Confederacy as possible, and NONE of these states is calling for secession! If these unnamed "critics" of Article V of our Constitution are trying to marginalize the very process which was CREATED by the Framers themselves, then I think it might be advisable for you to look a little closer at their hidden priorities, and spend a little less time and ink promoting their fallacies.

Right! Our founding fathers designed that the states have all power except that which was GIVEN to the federal gov't. What we see happening is the federal gov't usurping power from the states and dictating to the states what they will or can do. We need to bring the power back to the states as designed by the framers of our great constitution!

Do you really want power such as that turned over to a bunch of corrupt localized institutions that don't listen to the same people in which they govern? Maybe (just maybe) LOOK at the larger context of what you are proposing - and further HOW IT AFFECTS YOU! If you do what you are proposing, you take away your own rights. Just a thought...

We can't see the end from the beginning of the process--we can't predetermine the outcome--but we *can* sit down together from whatever ideological backgrounds are represented, hash out the means to rein in the abuses of the federal government, and then send those one-state-one-vote amendments back to the states for ratification by 3/4's of them. Better this than doing nothing at all on the basis that something worse would happen. "Worse" is happening now. The frog swimming frantically in the increasingly warming pot is nearly dead and doesn't know it.

Why do left-wing writers insist on frightening people? 75%+ approval for whatever is proposed mathematically precludes partisan nonsense from becoming part of the Constitution. What we'll find out, its that everyone (most everyone) agrees that private money in the form of campaign contributions corrupts public policy. Solution: publicly fund elections. foavc.org Arizona has called a planning convention for September 12th in Phoenix.

"Mathematically precludes?" Not at all The eleven most populous states represent 56% of the population.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_population) Add state #12, Virginia, at 8.4 million gives a total of 59% of the population of the United States. Thus, the other 41% of the people, through their states, could make odious changes to our country. Check your numbers!

Absolutely! It's the electoral college all over again. A minority of voters undercutting the will of the majority. In the case of the election, we ended with a fascist in the White House. In the case of a constitutional convention in the current political climate -- we can't even imagine the nightmare that could result.

This article is very hyper partisan and slanted. I'm not even going to address the loose Koch ties brought up. You all realize you can push for your own Article V effort right? There's Wolf Pac pushing for a convention to address campaign finance. I imagine the writer and main audience would be all for that. And by all means, you should pursue it and see where it goes. That's the beauty of using the Constitution for reform in government. Whatever reforms being pushed need to have broad appeal to pass ratification - like term limits, and restricting government power. But I guess seeking reform via the Constitution is a bad thing in your view.

Things are now getting interesting. Whether it anyone yet realizes it or not this matter will be concluded one way or another within the next year. At that time a decision will be made whether to continue having the Constitution being the ruling document of this nation or to establish that the Government is enabled to deviate from its provisions. Nearly all the money on both sides of the political aisle is united toward creating deviation. I only wish they took time to consider the consequences of what they desire. But somethings just have to be learned the hard way in human history and I suspect this lesson is going to be one of them.

1 of 3 Having an Article V Constitutional Convention is not what our Founding Fathers wanted. Northern delegates to our first Constitutional Convention voted for Article V at Southern delegates insistence in hopes to appease Southern delegates into approving the final draft of the Constitution. They didn't. During the first Convention there were some calls to adjourn and reorganize into a second Constitutional Convention. James Madison strenuously objected and said so in a letter to George Lee Turberville where he said, “Having witnessed the difficulties and dangers experienced by the first Convention which assembled under every propitious circumstance, I should tremble for the result of a Second.” Instead Madison devised 12 proposed amendments to be introduced by the other Article V means, that is, through the safe mode of amending the Constitution, through Congress.