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What Is an Article V Amendments Convention?
When the founding fathers wrote the Constitution, they knew it was an
"imperfect document written by imperfect Men." They understood that
over time the "imperfections" in the Constitution would be exposed and there
would be a need for amendments.
They also wanted to make it difficult to amend the Constitution but not so
difficult it could not be accomplished by reasonable people.
As
a nation of states, the ultimate approval of an amendment was left to 3/4ths
of the states, the number needed to ratify, or approve an amendment.
However, they provided for an initial step in the process; requiring all
amendments to first be formally "proposed."
Two
methods of proposing amendments were created giving each, the national
government and the state governments, equal opportunity and authority.
Congress may propose amendments by a vote of 2/3rds of its members. It
can do this at any time.
The
states may propose amendments by way of a convention called by 2/3rds of the
state legislatures. This convention is not a "Constitutional
Convention" which is a gathering to write a constitution. It is an
assemblage of delegates from the states with the limited purpose of
proposing amendments to the Constitution, the same authority granted to
Congress 365 days of the year.
The
founding fathers fully anticipated the states would request Article V
Conventions to restrain the growth of the national government.
Frankly, many of the founding fathers who feared the growth of the national
government "signed on" to the Constitution relying on this provision.
As a result of the significant expansion of the national
government and federal court rulings which require an amendment to cure, it is now time for the states to call
for an Article V Convention. These are extraordinary times, requiring
extraordinary measures.
The following are the steps we will take
to add the amendments to the Constitution.
Step 1.
The
legislatures of 34 states vote to pass the same resolution calling for an
Article V Convention.
Step
2.
Congress, pursuant to
Article V, dutifully calls the Convention.
Step
3.
The convention votes
to recommend for ratification the 10 Amendments for Freedom.
(Delegates cannot change the Constitution.)
Step
4. The
legislatures of 38
states vote to ratify the amendments.
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