It’s never been used, and most people don’t even know about it, but in the past week, two more states (Nebraska and Wisconsin) approved unleashing it. Advocates want to shackle the federal government from spending all of our grandchildren’s money before it’s too ate. Does an Article V Convention of the states to amend the U.S. Constitution have a chance this time?
Video above hosted at Rumble.
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41 replies on “Never-Used, Little-Known Tool to Shackle Federal Government Just Got a Big Boost”
NOT talking about a Constitutional convention, THIS is an Amendment Convention by the States to straighten out the Screwed-UP federal govt and get it back to what the Founders envisioned. Congress is not involved except to the Calling AFTER requests of the required States; after that, Congress is out of it. A few thoughts come up: Term Limits of the Congress effective WITH the CURRENT session, & CANNOT go into other Federal employments after leaving Congress Or going after a Senatorial position from a Representative position OR being employed by contractor that just received stipend from government, plus No Lobbying-positions and Other employment-restrictions after leaving Congress, Also provide that Congress cannot EXEMPT themselves from any law written for everyone else (any longer). Congress should get rid of all of the luxury trappings that past Congresses have provided. Employment Restrictions on Congressional Staffs as well. PLUS, Plus, what can you think of?
Soap, ballot, jury, cartridge.
Be careful of what you ask for. Imagine opening up the constitution, and the left uses that move to destroy our rights. R’s have the reputation of being the stupid party, and the D’s always undermine them. I fear the Rino’s.
I WOULD however, love to see the 17th amendment repealed.
Thank the FDR democrats for the extremely broad interpretation and application of the commerce clause. Past power grab by political Washington that foretold the present-day problems as the democrats proceed to try to expand and hold onto unconstitutional power.
They have gone OUTSIDE the Constitution to nullify our laws and to twist the original meanings therein. It may require that We the People who stand by the Constitution will have to do the same to nullify the nullifiers and thereby SAVE it.
Pain is here, but too many are not feeling it YET. Who can say how far the devils in DC are going to go? Do we just keep hoping that we can fix it by the next election? They are playing with the survival of the country we love. We care. They do not. Do we love our liberty enough to fight for it? These are the questions being asked of us each and every day. What will we give as our answer?
Bill, Scott and Steve. We hear in Canada are having the same issue. Our government continuously flaunts our Charter Rights and our Constitution. And ours is not even as old as yours. We let this happen and it is going to take a lot to get our countries back to our people where it belongs.
I have the same fear your father had even about a convention of states … though it is probably a bit more mitigated in the convention of states.
But at this point, in the immortal words of Crosby, Stills, & Nash (without Young) … “what have we got to lose”?
I don’t remember where or when I heard this, but the commerce clause is just part of the problem. The “necessary and proper” clause is also part of the problem: https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI_S8_C18_1/
Bill, might not an article proposed at this Convention clarify the Commerce clause in such a manner that it would make it far more difficult to abuse it?
As Yoda said, “Do or not do there is no try” In otherwords, never say you tried but failed just never give up. As far as I am concerned, a Convention Of States (COS) is essential for the state legislatures to debate each other directly and propose three amendments limiting or removing certain federal government powers that were usurpted from the people or the states by purposely miss-interpreting the Constitution. Right now only three issues can be debated to propose amendments – fiscal responsibility; term limits of federal elected and appointed officials (Think Anthony Fouci); and limiting federal powers and juridiction.
I have hope for the COS. I think people like the young lady Scott interviewed from Montana will continue to step up and make a difference. This community and others are working to make the necessary changes to our culture. Our efforts will not bear fruit quickly but they will ripen in the future. The Communists have waited a long time for their foothold and I hope they slip and fall back into the trash heap of history. I continually promote a civics book A Miricle that Changed a World. The 5000 Year Leap. (Skousen) Get it, read it, and give it to someone else to do the same. The forward of the book by Stephen Pratt is inspirational. I hope Bill, Scott, and Stephen can find a way to reach more people with this message.
Go read, “The Liberty Amendments” by Denali. Then let’s talk.
Mark Levin’s book? I’ve read it.
Great so you too understand the fears of a “runaway convention” are completely misguided once you understand the process of an actual convention of the states. Scott touched on it but there is so much more that people simply do not understand.
I recall a point Larry Arnn made about the Constitution. I’m paraphrasing now, but as I recall, he said something to the effect that people aren’t following it now, how will adding rules make them follow it in the future?
I get it and Larry Arnn is very dear to me, despite never meeting him. But I’ll bet ya as we get closer to a CoS watch how congress start to get “affected”. Which I believe Scott brought up as well.
On Scott’s last point, on the 2/3 to call and 3/4 to pass an amendment: it might be harder to get a nebulous idea of “call a convention” but once you have a proposed amendment, people can more easily vote up or down on that concrete idea.
Bill is absolutely correct. Our Constitution is the pinnacle of human achievement (understanding that the Bible is NOT a “human” achievement). It has been relegated to the toilet paper dispenser for decades, and giving our Leftist overlords a new roll of toilet paper will accomplish nothing. Only when the character of the average American has been extracted from the sewer (as evidenced by the near extinction of the Demonrat Party and the species known as RINOs) will the rule of law and decency return to our late great nation. If that ever happens, a new constitution will be unnecessary. President Adams was perfectly prescient in his prescription that America’s decency is inextricably tied to our survival and our Constitutional liberty.
I hope we can accomplish needed changes this way, either through honest to goodness amendments ratified (and obeyed) or congressional cowtowing. I fear the only other way to get it done may rend this nation and render us lost.
I don’t think a constitutional convention will help. It is nice to see people rallying around something. BUT
One of the main issues is accountability. Congress has abdicated so much of its authority to the executive branch.
There is no way the IRS or the ATF or FDA or FCC or whatever alphabet soup agency should have the power to create “regulations” with the full power of law. The ATF is a part of the executive branch! How is it that they can decide what is a lawful or unlawful firearm without it going through congress?
THAT authority resides with the legislative branch alone!
Fix that and repeal the 17th amendment. Senators should be chosen by the State’s legislatures.
Oh and how about we outlaw lobbyists? If I go to a congressman and pay for a trip to Cancun ….. that would be called bribery!
Thanks to all for the explanations regarding how to find the thumbs-up, plus sign, and/or the 5 star rating on each way of watching BW content. I now know how to comply. Cheers!
Where’s the LOL emoji?
I’ve been an advocate for an Article V Convention for quite a few years. Our Founding Fathers included that provision for a reason. They knew all too well how prone a government is to overreach. If it does happen, it will be limited to things like budgeting and term limits/age caps, but it will also lay the groundwork for more reining in of an out of control government. I highly recommend Mark Levin’s “The Liberty Amendments” for some of the best guidelines and reasons for eight very needed amendments to our Constitution.
I have one amendment that I would fully support and that would be a term limit on all political offices, up to and including Judges.
Ok Scott some clarity. 1. It is a Convention of the States NOT a Constitutional convention of the states. 2. Nebraska did not pass a bill but rather a resolution for an application. The difference is that the governor does not sign anything. This process bypasses that office.
Steve your opening remarks are spot on thank you.
Bill they can abuse those amendments because they were written in a vernacular that is strange to people today and leave themselves open to reinterpretation.
You know what amendments are followed to a T? The modern amendments. You can still drink alcohol, women can vote, 18 and older can vote, and you can only serve 2 terms in as president.
As an example of what can be accomplished, the commerce clause can be restated and clarified to return it to the original meaning.
Yes Bill we have an out of control D.C. and have for the last at least 120 years, but they will NEVER fix themselves. They have fixed it so it is darn near impossible to challenge them.
Scott to be clear a COS has been attempted over 400 times since 1789 where Virginia passed the very 1st resolution.
The difference with the COSaction.com is the call.
Every one of those 17 states passed identical calls, and the call was designed so congress couldn’t pull the wind out of our sails like they did with the 17th amendment.
The call is this: To propose any amendments that will limit the power and the scope of the federal government, put fiscal restraints on the federal government and limit the terms of its officials.
That last one is beyond just congress and would include SCOTUS, and the alphabet soup agencies existence.
As the Tennessee State Director now Emeritus, I shepherded in our great state as the 5th to pass our application.
It is a long process but it was designed that way so it would not just be a change at the whim of the people.
You seem to have missed the boat Scott. The #1 reason for calling convention of states is not spending. That would be #2 on the list. #1 reason for calling a convention of states is TERM LIMITS and congress will never get close to bringing a bill to limit their terms. THAT’S the biggest reason because if you limit the time in office you remove a huge portion of corruption.
The first new amendment should be an improvement upon the 22nd. Replace “office of the president” to house of representatives, Senate or office of the president” more than twice.
Then you can repeal the 16th and 17th.
After that, the power of Congress will be diminished sufficiently.
Just my $0.02 and worth not much more than that I am sure.
“Never let a crisis go to waste!” Our republic is in crisis if not already taken over by the communist globalists. It is time that states take back their powers stolen by the federal government. Let freedom ring.
Bill, FYI I dont find the intro preamble dealie about thumbs up Youtube stuff objectionable. Everyone does it, so its not objectionable. Love you guys!!!
Oh yeah, and term limits.
I agree with Bill. Bill’s arguments are the exact same ones I use whenever I am tagged into a discussion of a Convention Of The States conversation. And I truly dislike thinking about the mischief that such a convention could get into as lawyer-politicians seek to remold our Constitution into whatever they think it should say. Can you imagine what a Maxine Waters or Nancy Pelosi would do? Or how about an AOC or Omar, or…?
I think the premise of Scott’s argument is, hell, let’s try something that really hasn’t been done before if for no other reason than to at least call attention to the destruction of the Constitution that began 130 years ago. Yeah, I’m talking about the 17th Amendment and how disastrous that’s been, along with the crap that came in the name of the “Progressive Era.”
You’ll need to enact term limits before you do anything else, THEN talk about spending and budgeting. This is of course assuming we can even get a Constitutional Convention of the States.
Great point at the end. We need to force issues like this just like the Canadian truckers have in their capitol city.
I worry about the corrupt making changes to benefit them and not “We The People”!!
Why COS is necessary. Top priority of COS is term limits. That will clean out most of the corruption. I think a 12 year max time in both the house and senate would work well.
All of the guys’ arguments are correct.
However.
The sheer wall of noise and bloviation surrounding such a convention would drown out and hide the typical day to day workings of the Congress and Executive branches. The actual damage is done here and making us take our eyes off of that ball has to be an exhilarating thought to our “representatives”.
Punish the bad guys at elections; elect better legislators. Avoid a sideshow that has no chance of producing anything worthwhile.
I can’t argue the accuracy of this prediction — but hell, I thought I was cynical until I read your comment! High 5!
Scott is not correct as fiscal responsibility is the second most important item on the list of COS. #1 ins instituting term limits to remove corruption.
Article V is our side’s “Waiting for Godot”. As much as I like the idea in theory, 1) Does anyone really believe that if the US got anywhere close to it happening our Oligarchy of Soros, Zuck, Bloomberg, Steyer, etc wouldn’t dump a few billion dollars into ensuring it dies? 2) We’re assuming that said Convention won’t also be hamstrung into being meaninglessness, and 3) While I agree with taking a long view and taking the time to bring about these changes as The Radical Left has done, it diverts energy from more local, higher impact issues, such as what’s happening in our schools and our local election offices, not to mention the illegal alien invasion being peppered in non-Leftist neighborhoods. Holding a Convention won’t do us much good if Biden* is successful in realizing Barry O’s vision of fundamentally transforming this country.
OK everyone, flame away! =8^)
No doubt the Left would introduce amendments guaranteeing the right to abortion (I support the availability of abortions similar to the EU model), a living wage, open borders, equity, and unverified electoral voter rolls- among other hairbrained ideas.
At the moment we have a Democrat Party unable to defend its performance; why give them ammunition to distract the voters?
Which candidate wants to stand up and argue against “equity”?
No flame from me, I agree with you and will add that a Constitutional Convention is a crapshoot at best even if it can be brought about.
An Amendment to the Constitution can nullify a previous Amendment. The Left would see that convention as an opportunity to get rid of those pesky freedom of religion, speech and weapons ownership rights. There’s probably a few more bits of the Bill of Rights that they would like to be shed of too.
Could they succeed in such an endeavor? Maybe, maybe not. Though I’ll remind everyone of the chicanery that occurred in the last election and move the needle towards cheating, foul play and dishonesty having a big role in the event.
A Convention of States might be the best chance we have to get something on paper in a lasting basis but the Left has gotten really good at ignoring laws as Bill points out.
A Convention of States is also going to be the best hope the Left will ever have to get all it’s goals achieved in short order and they will pull out all the stops to do that. Just like they pulled out all the stops to put Potato Joe the Creepy Criminal in office.
Honest people of good will and good intentions tend to overlook or discount those who are their moral and social opposites. While those opposites do not make that mistake at all and will exploit any advantage they can identify. Honest people are rightly constrained by their honesty, the Evil Left does not suffer with that handicap.
It would not surprise me that the long-con goal of the Left in corrupting our media and educational institutions, creating a permanent swamp in our government, and promoting the general increase in the depraved aspects of our society — Was meant to culminate in a Constitutional Convention/Convention of States to strike the final blow to our Republic.
All the while getting us Conservatives to cheer on our own demise.
As more “Blue” states come on board heading towards the 2/3rds needed to call such a convention, we’d damn well best be thinking about what happens if we lose.