Article V Convention...a new way forward?

[jbluhm86]

"Some men look at constitutions with sanctimonious reverence, and deem them like the arc of the covenant, too sacred to be touched. They ascribe to the men of the preceding age a wisdom more than human, and suppose what they did to be beyond amendment. I knew that age well; I belonged to it, and labored with it...But I know also, that laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions change with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also, and keep pace with the times...Let us [not] weakly believe that one generation is not as capable as another of taking care of itself, and of ordering its own affairs. Let us, as our sister States have done, avail ourselves of our reason and experience, to correct the crude essays of our first and unexperienced, although wise, virtuous, and well-meaning councils...Each generation is as independent as the one preceding, as that was of all which had gone before. It has then, like them, a right to choose for itself the form of government it believes most promotive of its own happiness...This corporeal globe, and everything upon it, belong to its present corporeal inhabitants, during their generation. They alone have a right to direct what is the concern of themselves alone, and to declare the law of that direction; and this declaration can only be made by their majority. That majority, then, has a right to depute representatives to a convention, and to make the constitution what they think will be the best for themselves."

-Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Samuel Kercheval, June, 1812

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/440506/constitutional-amendments-states-convention

http://www.conventionofstates.com/cossim

[MLD Woody]

Makes sense

[Westside Steve]

Of course it's somewhat ironic to take the position that the constitution is not written in stone and can be changed at any time for any reason and that the founding fathers couldn't possibly understand today's world and then using Thomas Jefferson as your source.

WSS

[jbluhm86]

@westside-steve said:

Of course it's somewhat ironic to take the position that the constitution is not written in stone and can be changed at any time for any reason and that the founding fathers couldn't possibly understand today's world and then using Thomas Jefferson as your source.

WSS

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I think his point is still valid, though. The Constitution was never meant to be set in stone; the fact that there are procedures written in to it to allow it to be changed via amendments demonstrates that. I'm not saying that we need to toss it and start anew, but, looking at how poorly some areas of our government are operating right now, I think a tune-up of sorts via a couple of well thought out amendments would help.

[OldBrownsFan]

I trust the wisdom of the founders of this country much more than the recent leaders of our country. If not for that pesky thing called the second amendment we would have been disarmed long ago no doubt.

[Westside Steve]

@jbluhm86 said:

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I think his point is still valid, though. The Constitution was never meant to be set in stone; the fact that there are procedures written in to it to allow it to be changed via amendments demonstrates that. I'm not saying that we need to toss it and start anew, but, looking at how poorly some areas of our government are operating right now, I think a tune-up of sorts via a couple of well thought out amendments would help.

Well thought out... Dude you're killing me here.

WSS

[MLD Woody]

Why are the founding fathers infallible?

[calfoxwc]

The Constitution is our guarantee of rights and freedoms.

Some liberals dream of subjerting it into a document that they can rewrite

for their own political benefit and power, by taking rights away from the non-left.

[jbluhm86]

I know this thread is quite old, but with all the insanity going on in our country right now, I thought i'd bring this one back for, hopefully, a good conversation.

What do you all think? Has the situation in our country gotten to the point where we should at least consider doing an end-around Congress to bring about an Article V Convention in order to craft some amendments to help address government overreach?

If so, what amendments would you all propose be considered?

[Westside Steve]

Actually looking at this post a second time I was just struck by the line right after the Bold part which I think is pretty vague. Let us not think that one generation is less etc etc etc I do believe that technology and changes in political and social existence can and do make Generations less capable of taking care of themselves.

WSS

[Comeonman]

@mld-woody said:

Why are the founding fathers infallible?

I definitely don’t think they were. Are our leaders more or less fallible now might be the question. 

[MLD Woody]

@comeonman said:

I definitely don’t think they were. Are our leaders more or less fallible now might be the question. 

All men and women are. Even if they were perfect they were perfect for the time. No one can predict what changes the future holds. That's why I always think it's so crazy to act like the constitution is set in stone instead of it being a living document that should be updated with the times. 

[Comeonman]

@mld-woody said:

All men and women are. Even if they were perfect they were perfect for the time. No one can predict what changes the future holds. That's why I always think it's so crazy to act like the constitution is set in stone instead of it being a living document that should be updated with the times. 

Completely agree. That’s what this thread is intended to discuss, I thought. 2/3 of the states is all it takes ?

[jbluhm86]

@comeonman said:

Completely agree. That’s what this thread is intended to discuss, I thought. 2/3 of the states is all it takes ?

34 states (2/3) to call a convention, and 38 states (3/4) to approve any amendments proposed. The federal government has no say in the matter; it's up to the states.

[Comeonman]

@jbluhm86 said:

34 states (2/3) to call a convention, and 38 states (3/4) to approve any amendments proposed. The federal government has no say in the matter; it's up to the states.

Sounds glorious to me. Don’t think it’ll ever happen.