Off The Editor’s Desk – 11-15-2017

Off The Editor’s Desk – 11-15-2017

“The most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’ ”— Ronald Reagan

Asking for a Constitutional Convention!

Last week the Wisconsin Senate voted 19-14 to pass a resolution that completed Wisconsin’s application for a convention, and that makes our state the 28th state to request a convention to amend our country’s founding document, the United States Constitution. The house passed the resolution back in June. This action does not require the governor’s signature.

Now it takes only six more states to force the nation into a convention as part of the Constitution’s Article 5. Article 5 states that a national convention occurs if two-thirds of state legislatures request it. The last Constitution Convention was held in 1787. That is when our founding fathers put the final touches to the Constitution and signed the document. All the amendments that have been added to the Constitution (27 of them) have been proposed and moved forward by Congress with the approval of three-fourths of the states.

The first ten amendments, called the Bill of Rights, became effective on December 15, 1791.

But this is different, as Congress has been unable to run this country under a balanced budget since the Clinton administration, and the states, like many citizens look at the $20 trillion debt that the nation has incurred. I will support the effort to attempt to reduce the federal debt.

The purpose which is stated in the Wisconsin resolution is: “for the limited purpose of requiring the federal government to operate under a balanced budget.”

But, would a convention just open a can or worms and critics say there is no way to enforce limits on the convention.

A convention could deal with anything, including far right or left wing proposals and that could change the way we live and the freedoms that protect us.

Just think, if a convention struck down the First Amendment, or part of it, we would be in for a very different life style. The five basic freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of this country are contained in the First Amendment. The five are; religion, speech, press, assemble and petition.

Take away speech, you could no longer speak against an elected official, especially the president; take away press and I could no longer write about elected officials or what’s going on at city hall or at school board meetings. Religion, as we know it, could be gone in favor of a state run church. You might not be able to assemble to protest or support an event or idea. And maybe you could not address the government to rectify a grievance. You could be limited on how you could address the school board, village or town boards, city council or county and state government.

It looks like there is a reason that we have not had a requested convention in the last 230 years. So unless it can be contained to just the balance budget issue, leave well enough alone and pressure our federal elected officials to operate under a balanced budget.

I had another thought: a Constitutional Convention also could repeal the 16th amendment. That is the one that allowed the federal government to collect taxes on income or it could attack the 19th amendment. Can you guess what the 19th Amendment did? I will let you know next week.

Thanks for reading!     ~ Carlton