COS Virginia volunteer Trevor Wells reports:
On Saturday, November 4th, the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office (Sheriff Harris) held their second annual Veterans Day Celebration.
Sheriff Harris invited Major General Carroll Childers (ret.) to speak at the event.
General Childers was the Commanding General of the 29th Infantry Division reserve from August 1,1996 until his retirement on August 15, 1999.
Currently General Childers volunteers his time as COS Virginia's Veterans Coalition Director.
He decided to use his time to educate everyone on COS and our efforts in Virginia.
The Kena Highlanders Pipes and Drums, Marine Corps Band and Silent Drill Team performed after his speech.
Well done and thank you for your efforts General Childers.
After thanking the many veterans for their service to our country, General Childers spoke about Convention of States:
A few weeks ago a comrade from deep out of my past called me and asked me if I could make some remarks at this event.
And I asked Don Willis (Emergency Manager County) what he wanted me to talk about and he said: anything you want to.
So I thought, here is an opportunity to inform a great number of people integrated with celebrating the noble cause that we associate with Veterans.
My topic is Article V of the Constitution.
How many know what it is? What is Article V?
I will be short in describing it but hopefully will stir you to focus on it and what it can do to save the Republic.
Yes, the Republic needs saving. Benjamin Franklin warned us of this.
Article V allows for two processes to propose amendments to our Constitution.
- Legislative action by Congress - 27 times
- Convention of States - never
Let me tell you how COS works.
Thirty-four states must communicate to congress that congress “shall call a Convention for proposing amendments”.Call means to designate date, time, and location. Congress has no further role in the process.
All demanding states must communicate the same subjects in compatible language in their petition to Congress.
Each of the 34 states will select own-state attendees to the COS and there are no guidelines for the make up of each/any state’s delegation.
Whatever the debates generate within the convention, when voting is required, each participant state is allocated one (single) vote; one vote, one state.
Article V gives the state governors no role.
When the convention is finished and the product distributed back to each state for action, 38 states must ratify the product for it to become law.
Where do we stand in our effort?
We currently have 19 of the 34 states required who have completed the necessary requirements; 56%, more than half way to the convention call line in the sand.
We have over 76,000 Virginia voter petitions signed/submitted. 760/delegate and 1900/state senator on one subject.
There are more than 2.5 million American voters who have signed the petition to their state representatives.
What is COS asking for in terms of “proposed amendments to this constitution”?All 19 states currently supporting Article V Action are using some iterative form of the three following subject areas:
- Propose Term Limits on the Congress
- Impose Fiscal Constraints
- Reduce the size and power of the Federal Government
What can the general public do? We the People...
- Do your research. There is much information available on the internet or in your favorite book written by an author you trust.
- Take a position. If you agree with COS, simply use the QR code for Sign the Petition and a message will be automatically sent to your individual members of the State House of Delegates and the Senate asking them to actively support this Article V effort. When members of the General Assembly feel the pressure of public interest in this effort, they will respond.
COS has a table set up and Lonnie Williams and I will be there to take any questions and to provide you with some take away information and especially the item with the QR codes so you can participate in the petition drive.
My gratitude for your patience and interest. And veterans, again, Thank you for serving America. May God Bless you.
For those inspired by this opportunity to propose amendments to restrain the federal government, sign the petition below. A copy will be forwarded to your state legislators to ask them to use their unique role in calling a Convention of States to rein in tyranny.
