Patriots Need To Know The Company They Will Be Keeping In A Convention of States

Here are a few of the Left Wing organizations listed in the hundreds of members listed on https://movetoamend.org/organizations:
Progressive Coalition of Northern New York
American Institute for Progressive Democracy
Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Progressive Values
Progressive Democrats of America
American Friends Service Committee
Progressive Peace Coalition
Palm Beach County Environmentalists
National Lawyers Guild
SEIU Public Employees Union
Occupy Houston (and many more Occupy Groups)

Excerpts from the following articles of those supporting a Convention of States from the Left Wing:

‘Let’s Give Up on the Constitution’ by Prof.Louis Michael Seidman,, Georgetown University, Published N YT Dec. 30, 2012:

“As the nation teeters at the edge of fiscal chaos, observers are reaching the conclusion that the American system of government is broken. But almost no one blames the culprit: our insistence on obedience to the Constitution, with all its archaic, idiosyncratic and downright evil provisions.”

‘Our Imbecilic Constitution’ by Prof. Sanford Levinson, Uuniversity of Texas, Published Hoover Institution Journal June 5, 2012:

His argument rests on his distaste for two principles that create gridlock: separation of powers and checks and balances. He writes, “The many obstacles toward legislation, in his view, make it well-nigh impossible to form a coherent national policy." To find a cure, Levinson argues, “it is important to take a page from the progressive policies of Woodrow Wilson. Long before he was elected President, Wilson insisted that the structural safeguards of the original Constitution were an impediment to responsible social policy. Historically, it is clear that Wilson won that debate.”

Excerpts from the following articles of those opposing a COS from the Right Wing:

Don’t be Fooled by Article V Conventions’ Matthew Spalding, PhD Heritage Foundation The Foundry:

“Stemming from that analysis, (Constitution Guidance for Lawmakers Series) and taking into consideration the circumstances under which we are now operating, we have come to the conclusion that an Article V convention is not the answer to our problems. The lack of precedent, extensive unknowns, and considerable risks of an Article V amendments convention should bring sober pause to advocates of legitimate constitutional reform contemplating this avenue. We are not prepared to encourage state governments at this time to apply to Congress to call an amendments convention.”

“Prudent ‘fear’ of the Unknown is Not a Fallacy” Dr. Edwin Viera News With Views Oct. 16, 2013:

“First, it (Congress) would not necessarily have to accede to every jot and tittle of whatever proposals appeared in “the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States”.

Article V does not require Congress, in the manner of a robot, mechanically to adopt “the Application of those Legislatures” word for word. An “Application” amounts to a request to Congress for it to exercise its power in the premises, not a dictation by the States of how that power must be exercised. This raises a host of both substantive and procedural questions.

Congress might determine how delegates to the “Convention” were to be selected, or perhaps could select them itself. Congress might determine when, where, and for how long the “Convention” would meet. It might specify what rules of order were to be used, including whether a simple majority of the delegates, or some super-majority, or voting by individual delegates or only by States were allowable.”

Frustration with a government out of control should not induce us to blindly pursue a hopeful course of action, with unknown rules and procedures, being advocated by highly respected conservatives. Politicians, not We the Conservatives, from state legislatures, consisting of both Democrats and Republicans trying to make changes to the Constitution with a liberal media and radical demonstrators outside the convention hall is a scary and dangerous prospect. Wake up America. Once a convention is convened, there is no turning back!

Shirley Spellerberg
RPT Platform Committee 1998-2006, 2010