Convention of States Sample Letter to Your State Delegation

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[Jacquerie]

Here's the least you can do. Take the initiative that occasionally compels you to contact your federal delegation, and direct it toward your state representative and senator.

This is a sample letter you can send about the Convention of States Project. Please feel free to personalize it as much as you like!

Dear ______, Almost everyone knows our federal government is on a dangerous course. The unsustainable debt combined with crushing regulations on states and businesses is a recipe for disaster.

What is less known is that the Founders gave state legislatures the power to make changes to the federal structure when Washington, D.C., starts to abuse its authority. Article V of the Constitution authorizes the state legislatures to call a convention for the limited purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution.

Citizens for Self-Governance has launched the Convention of States Project to call a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints and limitations on the power of the federal government. I support this approach. I want [name of your State] to be one of the necessary 34 states that passes a resolution calling for a Convention of the States. You can find a copy of the draft resolution and a legislator’s handbook (which briefly explains the process and answers many questions) at www.conventionofstates.com.

I ask you to support the Convention of States Project and become either the lead sponsor or co-sponsor of a resolution in the next legislative session. Thanks so much for your service to the people of our district.

Sincerely,

[Publius]

I have two reference works.

The first is from the American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative pro-business group. This document has been sent to every state legislator in the country.

Proposing Constitutional Amendments by a Convention of the States: A Handbook for State Lawmakers

The second is a 1973 report from the American Bar Association attempting to identify gray areas in the amendatory process to include an Amendments Convention. It represents the view of the ruling class of 40 years ago. While I don't like some of their conclusions, they have laid out the precedents that may justify those conclusions. What I respect is the comprehensive job they did in locating all the gray areas. They went so far as to identify a gray area that didn't pop up until the Equal Rights Amendment crashed and burned a decade later. Even if you find yourself in disagreement with their vision, it's worth reading to see how the ruling class will try to dominate an Amendments Convention.

Report of the ABA Special Constitutional Convention Study Committee

[absalom01]

thank you.

good links

[scrabblehack]

Dirksen also opposed the court decision that required states to apportion both houses on the basis of population.

However it looks like Republicans controlled the State Senate from 1951 (possibly earlier) to 1969; they controlled the State House from 1951-59; 1961-65; and 1967-73.

I would agree that today Dirksen could not win U.S. Senate in Illinois by any method.

“There are times when we need to rise above principle.” - Everett McKinley Dirksen.

[Arm_Bears]

I’ve been asking the same question since before the release of Levin’s book.