Editor, The Beacon:
How many people in DeLand know of the Convention of States, or realize its potential to peacefully improve life in America?
The Convention of States was formed in 2014, dedicated to holding a convention of U.S. states, not the Congress, to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. This is not to rewrite the Constitution, as some worry. There are three very specific amendments in mind:
•Impose fiscal restraints on the federal government.
•Term limits for Congress and for high federal officials.
•Limiting the power and jurisdiction of the federal bureaucracy.
You may not know the Convention of States is authorized by Article V of the Constitution without the approval of Congress.
The states created the federal government, and the states can fix it when it is broken. And it is broken.
These goals are popular among the American people. Recent polling shows:
•The federal government should not spend at an unsustainable rate.
•All citizens need an opportunity to impact the laws that govern them.
•The president should not use executive orders to bypass Congress.
•New and younger candidates should represent their communities.
Article V says 34 (two-thirds) of the states must send delegates to the convention; that each state gets one vote; and the amendments must be approved by 38 (three-fourths) of the states to become law.
Nineteen state legislatures — including Florida! — have approved the Convention of States, and three more states are approaching that point. We expect the Convention of States to gain momentum, with the convention happening in the next three years.
Almost 3 million voting Americans have signed our petition. Petitions go to state legislators (not federal) to demonstrate our support in their jurisdiction. If the state already supports the Convention of States, great; if not, this increases the pressure to do so.
The Convention of States is nonpartisan and does not endorse political candidates. We welcome all people to sign our petition and volunteer to help us. The petition is available at www.conventionofstates.com, along with information about our movement, our supporters and our leaders.
If you can help, check the box at the form, and a Convention of States volunteer leader (such as myself) will contact you. Thank you for your support!
David Paine
DeLand
Here is a counterpoint to your Article V movement.
Common Cause sums up the argument better than I can.
“Wealthy special interests are pushing for a constitutional convention that could put everyone in America’s rights up for grabs. It’s on us to stop
Wealthy donors, corporations, and radical far-right actors are pushing calls for an Article V Convention in states across the country to reshape our Constitution for their own benefit.
Frighteningly, they are just a few states away from succeeding.
What is an Article V Convention?
Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, Congress is required to hold a constitutional convention if two-thirds of state legislatures (34 states) call for one.
But here’s the catch: there are absolutely no rules for an Article V Convention outlined in the Constitution.
That means the group of people convening to rewrite our Constitution could be totally unelected and unaccountable. There is nothing that could limit the convention to a single issue, so the delegates could write amendments that revoke any of our most cherished rights – like our right to peaceful protest, our freedom of religion, or our right to privacy. There are also no rules preventing corporations from pouring money into the convention to ensure they get their way.
In short, an Article V Convention would be a disaster. It would lead to long and costly legal battles, uncertainty about how our democracy functions, and likely economic instability.”
– commoncause.org
Very respectfully,
FM
This comment is opposed to the principles of democracy. It spreads fear and rumors to oppose what is in actuality a constitutional process. It lies in that there are no rules or bounds to the convention as there is already a large body of precedent and legislation to run the convention. Each state approving it has developed guidelines for representation and conduct. Your comment reflects an authoritarian and elitist approach toward government where the people have no right to make changes. The states created the federal government, and the states can fix it. You don’t seem to like that idea.
Amen David, they will follow the Federal Government, like sheep, to the complete destruction of our American way of life.