State Lawmakers Assemble at Mount Vernon to Discuss a Constitutional Convention

TPNN ^ | 12/9/13 | Greg Campbell

[Baynative]

At a time when the federal government appears truly broken, state lawmakers have assembled to reclaim the power vested in the states by calling for a convention of the states as a means of creating constitutional amendments.

On Saturday, close to 100 legislators from 32 states attended a meeting in Mount Vernon, Virginia, where they discussed adding amendments to the U.S. Constitution. They would do so under the authority of Article V of the Constitution.

[b4its2late]

Hopefully they’ll incorporate his ideas.

[Jacquerie]

Agree.

Restoring our Framers’ federalism and much more will be depicted as an attack on “democracy,” as if that alone is the purpose of government.

And . . . as liberals always do, they will attack the persons and character of those who speak up and defend freedom.

The Obama droids will never join, but anyone else with a brain and eyes can see our rampaging dive into tyranny.

[Jacquerie]

Your concerns are addressed at ConventionofStates.com.

Check out the FAQ.

[justiceseeker93]

It is my opinion that an article V convention would be a fiasco. We should hope to God that such a thing is never convened, for it will only make things worse.

You're not the only one to think that way, but it all depends the procedural rules that will govern any prospective convention.

Looking toward the future, one ground rule that will have to be insisted upon at such a convention is one vote for each state delegation. Even in today's political climate, it would be impossible for the left to get any of its pet amendment ideas approved by the convention if such a rule pertains.

That's why the left is nothing but fearful of the Article V convention to propose constitutional amendments idea. If they thought they would hold the upper hand at the convention, they would be promoting the idea with gusto. But they are doing just the opposite, attacking the Article V convention supporters.

[boxlunch]

Hallelujah! BTTT

[boxlunch]

Is there a list somewhere of which states sent representatives?

[C210N]

one ground rule that will have to be insisted upon at such a convention is one vote for each state delegation...

There is plenty of precedent for such a convention, and it is well documented. The Constitutional Convention was just one of about 3 dozen occurring in the 1750's thru 1790's. ALL of them, with one exception, were called with the rule being one state/colony one vote. The exception that occurred never met because it was boycotted by enough entities that didn't like going outside the standard practice of one-entity-one-vote.

[C210N]

How about a list of reps?

There were about 100 from 32 states:

Rep. Tammie Wilson Alaska
Rep. Wes Keller Alaska
Sen. Jason Rapert Arkansas
Rep. Randy Alexander Arkansas
Rep. Justin Harris Arkansas
Rep. Brenda Barton Arizona
Rep. Robert Thorpe Arizona
Rep. David Gowan Arizona
Rep. Stephen Humphrey Colorado
Rep. Lois Landgraf Colorado
Sen. Mark Scheffel Colorado
Sen. Scott Renfroe Colorado
Rep. Libby Szabo Colorado
Rep. Janak Joshi Colorado
Sen. Kent Lambert Colorado
Sen. Vicki Marble Colorado
Rep. Dan Nordberg Colorado
Sen. Larry Crowder Colorado
Rep. Chris Holbert Colorado
Sen. Kevin Grantham Colorado
Sen. Kevin Lundberg Colorado
Rep. Jim Wilson Colorado
Sen. David Balmer Colorado
Rep. Lori Saine Colorado
Rep. John Wood Florida
Rep. Terry Rogers Georgia
Sen. Bill Cowsert Georgia
Rep. Josh Clark Georgia
Rep. Lynn Riley Georgia
Rep. Andrew Welch Georgia
Sen. Sam Slom Hawaii
Rep. Dawn Pettengill Iowa
Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll Idaho
Sen. Marv Hagedorn Idaho
Rep. Vito Barbieri Idaho
Sen. Brandt Hershman Indiana
Sen. Jim Buck Indiana
Sen. Jim Smith Indiana
Sen. Tom Arpke Kansas
Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook Kansas
Rep. Randy Garber Kansas
Rep. Kirk Talbot Louisiana
Rep. Roger A Jackson Maine
Sen. Mike Green Michigan
Rep. Tom McMillin Michigan
Rep. Jeff Messenger Missouri
Rep. Warren Love Missouri
Sen. Melanie Sojourner Mississippi
Rep. Jim Kasper North Dakota
Rep. Roscoe Streyle North Dakota
Rep. Laurence M. Rappaport New Hampshire
Rep. Jorden Ulery New Hampshire
Rep. Dianne Miller Hamilton New Mexico
Rep. James P White New Mexico
Rep. Nora Espinoza New Mexico
Rep. Paul C. Bandy New Mexico
Rep. Yvette Herrell New Mexico
Rep. Matt Lynch Ohio
Rep. Matt Huffman Ohio
Sen. Bill Coley Ohio
Sen. Gary Banz Oklahoma
Sen. Larry Grooms South Carolina
Rep. Anne Thayer South Carolina
Rep. Pete DeGraaf South Carolina
Rep. Scott W. Craig South Dakota
Rep. Hal Wick South Dakota
Rep. Manny Steele South Dakota
Rep. Jim Stalzer South Dakota
Rep. Dennis Powers Tennessee
Rep. James White Texas
Rep. Ken Ivory Utah
Rep. Kraig Powell Utah
Rep. David Lifferth Utah
Del. Jim LeMunyon Virginia
Del. Frank Ruff Virginia
Rep. Chris Kapenga Wisconsin
Del. Larry D. Kump West Virginia

[DiogenesLamp]

I am still very uneasy about the idea. It is my observation that very few amendments after the first original 10 were beneficial to the nation. Most simply made things worse.

Good intentions do not equate to competence.

[boxlunch]

Reflections on the Mt. Vernon Assembly Michael Farris

December 09, 2013

Michael Farris

Yesterday, approximately 100 state legislators from over 30 states met at George Washington's home in Mount Vernon, VA. The meeting's purpose was to begin drafting the procedural rules for a Convention of States. I was not present at the gathering (only state legislators were allowed to attend), but earlier in the week I had a face to face conversation with the leadership of the Mount Vernon Assembly. We are beginning to reach critical mass in our efforts to use Article V of the Constitution to rein in the power of the federal government. The Mount Vernon Assembly is one of the major steps in that effort.

While the work of this group of legislators cannot be binding until actually adopted by a Convention of States, it will be critical to have this work done in advance and to have a majority of the states endorse it in advance. This will ensure the Convention itself can avoid prolonged disputes on the rules and can get right to work on the substance of drafting amendments that limit the power of Washington, D.C.

But there is another, somewhat unfortunate piece of evidence that shows this project is reaching critical mass. Conservative critics of this idea have recently increased both the loudness and shrillness of their long-standing claims that this approach is a dangerous threat to our country through a runaway "Con-Con." Here is why their arguments are doomed to fail: 1. They are based on faulty history. The original Constitution was not adopted as the result of a runaway convention. Their entire argument is premised on this fallacy. 2. They have to convince state legislators that we can't trust state legislators. You see, state legislators control the Article V process from beginning to end. The "Con-Con" argument requires state legislators to believe that we should be afraid of state legislators who might abuse their power.

But what's the alternative? These fear-based arguments leave us in the utterly precarious position of trusting Washington, D.C., to right itself.

No one should trust Washington, D.C., more than they trust state legislators. But, at the end of the day, the audience that matters most is state legislators. State legislators certainly trust themselves more than they trust Congress and the rest of the crowd in D.C.

The fear-based arguments are being overcome by the developing consensus of conservative leadership. Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, David Barton, and I all stand shoulder to shoulder to say that we can trust the Founders’ own solution. And that solution is found in Article V--we need to call a Convention of States.

Join us. Make history. Save liberty.

------

Michael Farris is the Chancellor of Patrick Henry College and Chairman of the Home School Legal Defense Association. He was the founding president of each organization. During his career as a constitutional appellate litigator, he has served as lead counsel in the United States Supreme Court, eight federal circuit courts, and the appellate courts of thirteen states.

Farris has been a leader on Capitol Hill for over thirty years and is widely respected for his leadership in the defense of homeschooling, religious freedom, and the preservation of American sovereignty. A prolific author, Farris has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship by the Heritage Foundation and as one of the “Top 100 Faces in Education for the 20th Century” by Education Week magazine.

Farris received his B.A. in Political Science from Western Washington University. He later went on to earn his J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law, and his LL.M. in Public International Law, from the University of London.

Mike, and his wife Vickie, have ten children and 14 grandchildren.

[MaxMax]

and the communists are still growing in power.

I believe they are being placed into Regulatory positions away from any oversight.
In the basements and dark damp rooms below the structure of America.

[bigfootbob]

Not a complete list. Rep. Drew MacEwen; Rep. Gary Condotta, both from the state of Washington are not on your list. There are more also.

[DiogenesLamp]

I will reconsider my apprehensions after i've had a chance to examine the predisposition of the state legislators in question.

Do Conservatives hold majorities in 38 state legislatures?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Baynative, additional:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3099989/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/articlev/index

[CynicalBear]

>>But what's the alternative? These fear-based arguments leave us in the utterly precarious position of trusting Washington, D.C., to right itself.<<

I think I agree with him there. We either trust the Feds or the States. We don’t have any other choice as I see it.

[Baynative]

States did not send representatives. This was an individual effort and everyone attending did so on their own time and at their own expense.

The list of attendees confirming by last Tue (I think) is on the website. But, several more people came at the last minute and because of occupancy fire codes they were not able to handle everyone who wanted in to the Mt Vernon assembly hall. I have written key sponsors for updates and heard that another conference in a larger venue is already being talked about.

[justiceseeker93]

Do Conservatives hold majorities in 38 state legislatures?

Not now, I'll admit. But who knows what the future will bring? One thing you can say is that the left is further away from majorities in 38 state legislatures than backers of some of the "conservative" constitutional amendments are.

[drypowder]

greedy lawyers (oxymoron)

oops, that's not an oxymoron

[Eleutheria5]

Just having the discussion is a good thing.

[bigfootbob]

Bay, talked to Drew tonight. He and Condotta were the only two reps. from Washington that attended! Where the Hell were those pricks who call themselves the “Titanium Trio” who like to consider themselves Liberty Leaders? Shheeezzz!