Why We Must Prevent An Article V Constitutional Convention

Outside of the media spotlight, a quiet battle is raging on which the future of America’s constitutional republic depends. The battle in question is about whether states will force Congress to call a Constitutional Convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, or use other constitutional tools to rein in the out-of-control federal government.

Unfortunately, while many of its grassroots proponents are sincere and well-meaning patriots, the Convention of States movement to call a Con-Con would open a Pandora’s Box. Among other concerns, it would allow the Communist (aka Democrat) Party and its RINO allies to finally get their hands on America’s precious Constitution to legalize their abuses and usurpations.

Claims by leading Con-Con promoters are self-evidently mistaken at best. “A Convention of States will force Congress back inside the constitutional box,” claimed Mike Ruthenberg, executive vice president of the pro-Con Con “Convention of States” Action, in a recent e-mail boasting that Utah had been brought onboard this year.

But consider what he is saying. If Congress is already out of its constitutional box — and it certainly is — how in the world would changing the Constitution that Congress already flagrantly disobeys “force Congress back inside the constitutional box”? It would not, obviously.

The problem is that the Constitution is not being obeyed, not that there is any problem with the Constitution. And so, changing the Constitution obviously cannot be a real solution to the problem.

Ask any promoter of a Con-Con: “What problem do you see with our Constitution that needs to be changed?” In my experience, their answer never identifies a problem with the Constitution. Instead, they always point to problems that involve the Constitution not being obeyed–the courts are running wild, bureaucrats are making law, etc. All of this is already unconstitutional.

The solution, then, is to force obedience to the existing Constitution, not change it.

At the top, the Con-Con peddlers also have a long history of dishonesty. For instance, Idaho Rep. Dorothy Moon told me they mailed her petitions filled with fake signatures–some from people she knew personally! Beyond that, Con-Con promoters have used dishonest and vile smears to attack their opponents, hardly the tactics of decent and moral people pursuing noble goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-zELoltXzE

Similarly, Con-Con forces came after my friend Senator Theresa Manzella–perhaps the most stalwart constitutionalist in Montana’s legislature–using dishonest and vicious tactics. Listen to what they did to her:

If and when Con-Con promoters get their wish, the Left and its RINO allies will control it. Think Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, George Soros, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and so on. Just like they control Congress, these Deep State forces will end up controlling the Con-Con.

That is why the late Justice Antonin Scalia was firmly against a Con-Con. “I certainly would not want a Constitutional Convention,” he responded when asked how he would like to amend the Constitution. “I mean whoa. Who knows what would come out of that?”

Considering those in charge, and the attitude of the media, what would come out of that could never be as good as the original. And all the Deep State and its friends would have to do to get their changes ratified is change the mode of ratification, as occurred in 1787.

That would bring the greatest experiment in human liberty and self-government to a crashing halt. Indeed, if Americans allow the current crop of political leaders to get their grimy paws on their Constitution, there should be little doubt that it would ruin any chance of restoring liberty, God-given rights, and a free republic in our lifetimes.

Even at their mock convention at which only self-proclaimed conservatives participated, they managed to expand federal power and undermine protections built into the existing Constitution. The CoS people have even talked about “clarifying” the Second Amendment, as if there was anything confusing about “shall not be infringed.”

The original Constitution was written by learned and Godly men who loved liberty and understood history — men like James Madison, Charles Carroll, John Dickinson, Elbridge Gerry, and so on. The new one would be written by America’s current crop of slimy and potentially treasonous political leaders. Even among GOP leaders, who would trust sell-outs like Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnell with writing a new Constitution?

This is precisely why leftists such as George Soros and Cenk Uygur of “The Young Turks” (named after revolutionaries who exterminated Armenian Christians in Turkey) are also pushing for a Con-Con. They know they will end up on top.

Patriotic Americans in the John Birch Society, Eagle Forum, Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagles, and many more succeeded in stopping the Con-Con in all two-dozen states last year. However, Con-Con promoters did manage to get Utah this year by pouring huge amounts of “dark” money into the legislature, buying politicians, and deceiving desperate conservatives.

This writer corresponded with Utah Rep. Ken Ivory, a Republican leader on the payroll of Con-Con lobbyists, about this issue. He refused the opportunity to debate the Con-Con on Inside the News, one of Utah’s most popular political talk shows which both of us go on frequently. The reason why is not hard to see.

Utah may have gone down, and the Con-Con promoters have convinced 15 legislatures overall to join the bandwagon. But they still need more than 20 additional states. Hopefully, with the weapon of truth, patriotic Americans can continue to hold them back. It will be a tough fight. But the future of the Republic may well depend on the outcome. Get involved!

If you have a chance, please watch this video of constitutional scholar Robert Brown addressing these issues in much more depth: