Thorner: Article V Convention: a Scam on the American People?

By Nancy Thorner - 

A new calendar year brings with it the start of new state legislative sessions.  With these renewed sessions comes the push for state legislators to pass resolutions that would agree to what is designated in Article V of our Constitution; namely, that if two thirds of the States apply for it, Congress shall call a convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution. Delegates, however, would have the right, as recognized in the 2nd paragraph of our Declaration of Independence, to throw off the Constitution we have and write a new Constitution.

The call for an Article V Constitution has only been successful one time in the past.  Our original Constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was perceived to have defects, so on February 21, 1787, the Continental Congress called a convention to be held in Philadelphia “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation”.  But instead of proposing amendments, the Delegates wrote a new Constitution with an easier way of ratification, which created a new government. 

Why now the push for an Article V Convention?

To fully understand why there are those who are pushing for an Article V Convention, it is first necessary to comprehend basic facts about our nation.  Our Constitution delegates only a handful of powers to the federal government. 100 years ago, the Americans started electing Progressives to state and federal office.  Rewarded and encouraged by the enthusiastic approval of the American people, the progressives instituted the socialist regulatory welfare governments (state and federal) we now have.  Although unconstitutional, the American people didn’t object, for they were being taken care of by the governments and their children were also receiving “free” public school educations.  Because of this situation, for the past 100 years federal and state governments and the American people have ignored our Constitution. 

In keeping with this nation's collapsing socialist system, the "Convention of States" Project (COS) is being pushed. But beware, do not play into the enemies' hands by calling it a "convention of states"!  This creates a false impression. It's an Article V Convention because states don't get to control the convention.  See Judi Caler’s article on Newspeak for a further explanation. 

It’s unfortunate that resonating with many Americans is the COS's faulty main premise that our nation's problems stem from the federal government's violation of our Constitution and that they can be fixed  by amending the Constitution through a convention called by Congress pursuant to Article V of our Constitution.  Two-thirds (34) of the states are needed for an Article V Convention to be called by Congress.  See here a list of state applications for an Article V Convention   So far 12 States have passed resolutions for the misnamed "Convention of States." 

Dark money funds Article V through obscure (c)(3) organization

The "Convention of States" could rightly be called the biggest political scams of our time, fueled by dark money laundered through (c)(3) organizations.  As these (c)(3) organizations ramp up their push for Con ConCon legislation in 2018, they will seek to avoid hearings that could expose the dark money behind their scheme.

The hiding of deep money sources used to promote ConCon to state legislatures is being funneled through the use of obscure (c)(3) organizations, such as were used by Mark Meckler and Michael Farris in 2015 (The lead advocate for "Convention of States" legislation is Michael Farris, who has been actively  promoting ConCon to state legislatures.).

The obscure (c)(3) organization that funded Meckler and Farris in 2015 was the “John Hancock Committee for the States,” which claims on its form that it is doing business as the "Citizens for Self-Governance", but it is really part of the Koch network.  This is reason why the Koch dark network money is so difficult to trace.

Two of the Kochs' biggest issues are amnesty for certain illegal aliens to obtain cheap labor for their companies and expanding legalized marijuana.  Such was the libertarian goal of David Koch back when he ran as the libertarian candidate for vice president. 

The Koch brothers are working with billionaires on the Left, such as George Soros, on both issues.   Accordingly, their secret agenda for a constitutional convention for limiting federal power means: less border control and fewer limits on illegal drugs.  I would think that most Americans would say "no thanks" to an Article V Convention should the truth be known.

Facts for the America People

• that an Article V Convention called by Congress wouldn't be a "runaway" one; however, the enemies of our Constitution knew from day one that they could get rid of our Constitution at an Art. V convention!  Our present Constitution was ratified by the 9^th State on June 21, 1788.  In Federalist No. 85 (mid-August 1788), Hamilton addressed the arguments of the anti-federalists who were agitating for another convention in order to get rid of our new Constitution.
• that none of the delegates to the convention of 1787 said the purpose of amendments was to rein in the federal government when it usurps power.  The purpose was to fix defects in the Constitution.  But is it even possible to fix federal usurpations of non-delegated powers with amendments, as amendments can’t take away powers the Constitution didn’t delegate in the first place.  Accordingly, any amendments the hand-picked attendees would approve to an Article V Convention would legalize powers already usurped or delegate sweeping new powers to the federal government over those of States and individual rights.
• that delegates would have the right, as recognized in the 2nd paragraph of our Declaration of Independence, to throw off the Constitution we have and write a new Constitution which creates a new government. This has happened before!
• that there are already New Constitutions already prepared or being drafted:  e.g., the Constitution for the Newstates of America is ratified by a national referendum (Art. XII, §1).  Globalists [e.g., the Council on Foreign Relations] who want to move us into the North American Union (NAU) need a new Constitution to transform us from a sovereign nation to a member state in the NAU (North American Union).
• that according to an article by Christian Gomez that appeared in the December issue of The New American, leftists are also looking to rewrite the Constitution in order to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case and to radically revise the wording of the Second Amendment. 
• that The Nation, a decades-old magazine known for its far left-wing editorial policy, has already begun running articles bearing titles such as “The U.S. Constitution Is Over Two Centuries Old and Showing Its Age.” 

Words of Common Sense

Ever since I first heard Mark Levin calling for a Constitutional Convention, I was extremely skeptical of the idea.  I have nothing against a balanced budget, as is the object of some, but the notion that a Convention could pull off something that is far beyond the capacity of the U.S. Congress should be apparent to anyone who has observed the way Congressional members are unable able to work together.

Wouldn't those who’d congregate at such a gathering have to represent all 50 states?  Passage of anything, including the minutes of the meeting, would most likely require that 2/3's of the states, meaning 34 would need to agree, should be enough to convince any reasonable person of the futility of the enterprise.

Also keep in mind that unless Democrats played a representative role in the convention, how could anything that didn't favor Democrats carry weight?