By 2008 Constitution Party presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin. Found at ChuckBaldwinLive.com and at Blog.TNfarmgirl.com
My good friend, Tom DeWeese, chairman of the American Policy Center, recently issued an urgent alert regarding a revived effort to assemble a modern Constitutional Convention. Mind you, the United States has not assembled such a Convention since 1787, when a Constitutional Convention replaced the Articles of Confederation with the U.S. Constitution. Fortunately, the delegates to the Con Con of 1787 were composed of freedom-loving patriots who had just fought a bloody war for independence and were in no mind to reenact tyranny upon the land they had just fought to liberate. However, can one imagine what would happen if the current bunch of politically correct leftists in Washington, D.C., were to be granted the power to rewrite our Constitution? It would be the end of the United States of America, and that is no hyperbole.
The modern Con Con effort began back in the 1970s. Since then, 32 states have issued the call. The total number of states that are required to enact the Con Con is 34. Simple math reveals that we are only two states short of this disaster. As word of this potential calamity began to surface, the effort stalled with the total states issuing the call stuck at 32. With the election of Barack Obama, however, supporters of a Con Con have been emboldened and are now trying to resurrect the momentum. The state that is currently in the crosshairs appears to be Ohio.
States that have already approved a Con Con include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. A few of these states have since seen the error of their ways and have voted to rescind their approvals. This fact, alone, should be enough to kill the push for another Con Con, but don’t expect the powers that be to see it that way. Therefore, it seems that if Ohio approves the Con Con, only one more state would be required, and upon the call of that 34th state, a Con Con would be seated. And, no doubt, state number 34 is already sitting quietly, but excitedly, in the wings, ready to act with “lightning speed” to seal the deal.
Lest anyone take this lightly or think that a Constitutional Convention is no big deal, DeWeese properly warned, “In truth no restrictive language from any state can legally limit the scope or outcome of a [Constitutional] Convention! Once a Convention is called Congress determines how the delegates to the Convention are chosen. Once chosen, those Convention delegates possess more power than the U.S. Congress itself.”
DeWeese is right. If called, a modern Constitutional Convention could declare the U.S. Constitution to be null and void, and could completely rewrite the document. For example, former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger once declared, “There is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention. The Convention could make its own rules and set its own agenda.”
Given the fact that Washington, D.C., is comprised mostly of Big-Government liberals and neocons, it is almost certain that the founders’ Constitution–which was founded on the principles of Natural Law that protects individual liberty–would be replaced with some sort of “collective rights” document protecting an ambiguous “common good.” At that point, there is no more United States of America. There would be no more Bill of Rights protecting individuals from governmental abuse and overreach. Furthermore, the principles of Natural Law would be forever removed as a basis of all our nation’s laws and statutes. The nation that had been bequeathed to us by our forebears would be gone forever.
Yes, it is that bad, and, yes, it is that close to happening!
In the short term, every freedom-loving American must do everything they can RIGHT NOW to prevent this from happening. Since the state of Ohio is currently in the crosshairs, it would behoove us to contact every person we know in Ohio and do whatever it takes to motivate them to be sure to let their Ohio legislators know how dangerous this is. Residents and citizens of Ohio need to make sure the Ohio legislature rejects the call for a Constitutional Convention. By the same token, it would be wise for all of us who live in states that have not yet ratified the call for a Con Con to contact our state legislators to make sure that they understand the issue, and that they will do everything in their power to resist any attempt to call for a Constitutional Convention.
For more information on the status of a new Con Con and how to fight it, go to the American Policy Center web site at
http://www.americanpolicy.org:80/sledgehammer/victory.htm
In the longer term, there is another question that must be addressed. What will we do if and when a modern Constitutional Convention is called and our U.S. Constitution is declared null and void, with a completely new constitution enacted? Which states will reject the new constitution? Which states will declare their independence from any such new union? Or, will they all surrender their state constitutions and go along with this Twenty-First Century New World Order–a New World Order that will doubtless incorporate some form of North American Community or Union?
It might be a very good idea to immediately begin identifying those states that would unequivocally reject any new union, and would be willing to declare their independence from whatever government would evolve from a modern Constitutional Convention. Yes, I am saying it: we may need to resurrect the original Thirteen Colonies, except they would probably not number thirteen, and, in all likelihood, they would not be located on the East Coast.
I am convinced that there are still millions of Americans who are sick and tired of surrendering their liberties to Big-Government sycophants in both the Democrat and Republican parties, and that if a Constitutional Convention is called–and our U.S. Constitution is wiped away or rewritten–are ready and willing to declare their independence all over again. So, I issue the call: where are the new Thirteen Colonies?
We better start looking now, because there will come a point when the time for looking for good ground is over and the time to stand our ground will be upon us.
Right…
There are pages and pages of material of the founding fathers making it clear why there is no mention of religion other then the fact that you cannot make a law respecting one in the Constitution.
George Washington:
“I am persuaded, you will permit me to observe that the path of true piety is so plain as to require but little political direction. To this consideration we ought to ascribe the absence of any regulation, respecting religion, from the Magna-Charta [Constitution] of our country”
Clarification? There is no constitutional Seperation of Church and State, nowhere is it mentioned in the Constitution or founding documents–in fact a few states had official religions when the Constitution was ratified. It is a general principle that Americans have followed since Jefferson gave the good advice to the Danbury Baptists–and I hope Americans continue to follow that advice.
If I had to guess, what Mr. Baldwin and the CP would likely be worried about is a clarification of the Seperation of Church and State issue. I personally don’t think it needs clarification, but it would get rid of the silly argument they already have that is supposed to mean that the Constitution is an extension of biblical law.
I will not comment on Mr. Baldwin directly except to say that those who question him are on the right path.
Mr. Baldwin is spreading lies about a very important part of our Constitution–Article V. Through this method and only this method, the people can bring about legal, constitutional change in our nation. And don’t kid yourself one minute. Those in power in Congress do not want a convention. They know that a lot of the things they have been doing, some of which are mentioned in the above comments, would come under close scrutiny and most likely be changed.
Let me give one example. What would it be like if we had a federal initiative, referendum, recall amendment in the Constitution, today, right now, this minute? Do you think the American people would be so willing to approve 8 trillion dollars in additional debt? If there were a balanced budget amendment in place, does it stand to reason such a debt would even been contemplated by those in power? I could go on, but I think you get my point: Article V is important and through it, new tools to correct the issues raised can be created and given to the people so that something can be done by them.
So, let’s get onto the real information. Mr. Baldwin’s information is incorrect. He says there is only two states left before a convention must be called. He is totally incorrect. If Ohio applies for an Article V Convention, it would be the 38th state to apply. The public record is plain: all 50 states have submitted a total of 650 applications for an Article V Convention well in excess of the 34 required.
You can read the actual texts of the applications at only one site on the Internet: http://www.foavc.org . Here you can learn the truth about an Article V Convention and why it is so important. Take the time to visit the site, please. Don’t listen to fanatics like Mr. Baldwin. And after you’ve read the applications ask yourself one question: what’s in it for Mr. Baldwin that he would have people agree that the Constitution can be vetoed by the government? What does he get out of it?
Thank you for your time.
IIRC, the last time I heard of the Constitutional Convention being bandied about was back in the early eighties. And it was mostly right wingers proposing it.
I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Even if a couple more states do call for it. We have to remember that this new convention will be an exercise in futility for a few hundred parliamentarians with agendas.
I have a hard time believing that once a new Constitution is proposed (complete with an Equal Rights Clause, Children’s Rights Clause, Free Health Care Clause, etc., it will still have to be ratified by at least 34 states.
And it will be an exercise in futility because our government can’t live by the Constitution already in place. Why would a new Constitution be any easier for the government to live under?
Pacem en Terris
“8 states away” doesn’t sound as threatening as “2 states away” does.
@ citizen1: I’ve been wondering the same thing. I cannot find the supposed 6 states missing in all of the lists that I’ve seen.
What are the other states?
If my math is right there are only 26 states in the list in the article.
Trent – The CP seems to actually believe that the Constitution is capable of being “preserved.” Okay, IF it were actually in effect, I could see the argument of preserving it in order to prevent something worse from arising, BUT given that the way the Constitution is “interpreted” now, there’s literally nothing I could see coming out of a new convention that could be less expansive. How often is it that the government can’t do something because it’s “unconstitutional”?
Except that there WAS an effort to bring out the Con Con is Ohio recently. If 2 states call for a Con Con, it meets a decades old quorum to call a ConCon. Frankly, im not worried about it–as GE said, the Constitution is already being ignored, so what’s the difference?
You got it. The CP in a nutshell. The wacko right has been worried about “con cons” for decades. Howard Phillips brags about how he helped prevent one some time back.
WHO CARES?
The state is evil, the Constitution would suck even if it were in effect, but it’s not, so it’s all a waste of fucking time.
I still don’t understand what this Con Con is or why it’s being called. It just seems like a bunch of crazy people ranting against a threat that isn’t real. I’m not saying that’s what it is, but no one who talks about it really explains it.
Yup. Baldwin is a moron. Well established fact here
Baldwin is a moron to care about this.
There’s already been a new “constitutional convention,” effectively. The Constitution itself was an aggrandizement of the federal government over the states and SHOULD be scrapped… But regardless, it is not even remotely followed anyway, so WHO CARES??