DANGER: ALEC and the Far Right are Seven States Away From Federal Constitutional Convention

[Ferd Berfel]

http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/alec-and-far-right-are-seven-states-away-convening-dangerous-and-unpredictable-federal


ALEC and the Far Right are Seven States Away From Convening A Dangerous and Unpredictable Federal Constitutional Convention

Amendment-seeking right wingers are getting close.

It’s only a short phrase buried in the U.S. Constitution, but it enables an unprecedented avenue to change the law of the land: If two-thirds of the states demand it, Congress “shall call a convention” for proposing constitutional amendments.

A hopeless pipe dream? Actually, no; the issue is front and center right now. Some 27 states have active calls for a convention on a balanced budget amendment, which would force the federal government to pass budgets that do not enlarge the national debt. This means that theoretically just seven more have to actfor a constitutional convention to be called, at least on that subject.

In just the first few weeks of this year's state legislative sessions, at least 10 states have bills pending that call for a convention. So suddenly such a meeting, not held since the earliest days of this country, is becoming a real possibility.

[Blus4u]

1. That's why we need down ticket votes....

....and getting the vote out in non-presidential elections.
DWS needs to concentrate on this instead of limiting debate because it doesn't (or didn't) suit her preferred candidate.


Peace

[KamaAina]

2. But they need three-quarters of the states to ratify whatever horror comes out of it

so we only need 13 holdouts.

[Ferd Berfel]

3. I see this as another reason we need Bernie

[karadax]

4. States can withdraw their call for a convention.

Maryland is one of the states I expect to pull out once it gets closer to becoming a reality.

[allan01]

5. this bothers me that these people are affecting policiy and we are letting them

[Octafish]

6. Maybe we should send our own slate of Delegates?

Better than GOP turds running the Show.

[Odin2005]

7. THIS IS WHY WE NEED BERNIE!

He will have long coat-tails and bring in a high turnout so we can take back state legislatures.

[Ferd Berfel]

8. must be an echo in here...

[Darb]

10. Not seeing it that way myself.

For some reason. Maybe........I guess. Maybe not.

[Bucky]

9. a new Constitutional Convention won't really accomplish anything

The country's too divided. Other than a toothless balanced budget amendment (which will feature easy-to-override simple votes for times of emergency, which will be every damn year) nothing could possibly gain majority support. In the long run, a convention is just going to be a minor distraction

[Doctor_J]

11. Whew.

I'll be dead before these psychopaths get their way

[Keefer]

12. They are actually calling for a

convention of the states:

http://www.alec.org/model-policy/article-v-convention-of-the-states/

There is a difference.