When going to purchase a house, you hire a house inspector, among other things, to make sure the foundation is secure.
Imagine that you are doing research about your prospective purchase, and the real estate agent starts trying to sell you a car. Of course, this is insane! You are not in the market for a car. But, the salesman continues.
This is what happens to some people when they start researching the use of Article V. They find social media posts that sound convincing.
I encourage you to be on the lookout for fallacies. When you research all the points the opposition shares, you will find the illogical fallacies flowing throughout. There may be some truths sprinkled in. For example, they may say how the federal government usurps its power, which is true.
I invite you when reviewing materials to think of these questions:
1. Is the information they are sharing promoting hope or forwarding fear?
2. Research the links provided. Do they cherry pick facts here and there and write their opinions by stringing out-of-context information?
3. Do they spend their time insulting individual people?
4. Do they bring in off-topics to distract you? In other words, if you are researching Article V of the U.S. Constitution, are they using the words in the Constitution or are they redefining terms to meet their narrative?
These are just a couple of points to remember when doing your research, in any area.
Convention of States is the use of Article V of the U.S. Constitution, an amendment proposal, interstate convention, that has high thresholds to meet before it can ever be called. The purpose, like purchasing a house, is recognizing the need to restore a strong effective foundation. The Founding Father's created a method should the Republic they designed need to be restored to its original enumerated powers.
Yet people behave as car salesmen- they speak about something totally different, something you have no interest in, a constitutional convention for example. A convention whose scope is unlimited and purpose is to create an entirely new document.
You love our U.S. Constitution as do most Americans. Just tell them you are NOT interested in writing a brand new Constitution. Luckily for you, neither is the Convention of States Project. Convention of States is promoting the use of Article V in the U.S. Constitution as written.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.1
Many people have written constitutions for different purposes: communist, marxist, dictatorships- nothing that is of interest to you. That is their perogative. Bringing up constitutional conventions is irrelevant to your research on the use of Article V. One has nothing to do with the other. I recommend saving their constitutional convention discussions for separate discussions, should you ever decide you don't cherish the founding documents of our nation.
To learn more about the difference between a convention of states and a constitutional convention, click here.
When you tune in logically, you often find some people make a play on words. In today's society, if someone does not like the definition of a word, no problem. They just re-write it.
I bolded specific words in the above quote of Article V. Notice how Article V defines, limits, explains, whichever way you want to comprehend this, that proposing amendment conventions, suggest amendments to this existing constitution.
Those that "worry about" loosing any of our Bill of Rights or any insane proposals coming out of convention, ask them to name the 38 states who will ratify such insanity. Both chambers in 38 states need to approve any proposals before they can be ratified.
Bottom line for you, check all sources. Read them. Make sure there is no cherry picking for pushing propaganda.
What do the Constitutional scholars share on the subject matter?
Is this topic shared with you from a Justice who wrote a private letter, who was trying to prevent an Article V convention to overturn his court rulings?
What is the history that goes along with the topics you are finding?
Are you looking at the complete historical precedence?
When the founders pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, did they do this in vain?
Is there any other part of our founding documents where there was zero comment, meaning they unanimously agreed?
Yes, those that do the hard work of researching logically and thoroughly, come to the same conclusion: the use of Article V is the only peaceful way to restore our Republic to its original intent.
Share this blog with those you know who are struggling with research.
1.https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-5/
