by George Wilson
My Vermont representative, Laura Sibilia-I (actually more P) Windham-Bennington, sent an email on June 10, 2022 to the Convention of States national team that read “I do not support COS, please inform my constituents”. Joe Benning, current senate member from Caledonia County and a Republican candidate for Lt. Governor, at a forum in Rockingham on June 25 stated he does not support COS. In theory, they come from opposite sides of the aisle. Why are they both afraid of calling for a Convention of the States?
A Convention of States is in Article V of the United States Constitution. Article V allows for two ways to propose amendments to the Constitution. Congress can bring an issue to the floor, have two thirds agree on the issue, and then send the proposal back to the states for ratification. After that, three quarters of the states (38) must agree to the proposal to ratify it into an amendment. That’s the way things have always been done.
However, our founders realized that one day, a tyrannical government may evolve and We The People should have an avenue to propose amendments to the constitution. It is possible, and will occur when 34 states call for such a convention.
At the convention, the proposals will be debated by delegations sent from each state. If 34 States can agree to the same proposal at the Convention, it will then be sent back to the State Legislatures for debate. At that point, it is the same as if Congress had proposed the Amendment. 38 states must approve that specific proposal for an amendment to be passed.
Congress has no recourse to overturn, and the President cannot veto. Why? Because WE THE PEOPLE decide!
The non-partisan issues that the Convention of States project are trying to address are:
- Term Limits – How many current legislators will vote for this? Answer, Very few if any!
- Fiscal Responsibility – How are our children, grandchildren, and their children’s children going to pay off 30 trillion dollars debt? Irresponsible spending must be halted and reversed.
- Stop and Reduce Government Overreach – Both state and federal governments are expanding rapidly. Since they are not for profit businesses, where does the money come from? You and I as taxpayers.
These three issues are not partisan politics. They are common sense issues. Something that most politicians in Vermont seem to be lacking. Remember, they are representatives for us! They may be considered Leaders, but certainly not rulers!
Joe Benning stated in his objection to calling for a Convention is that he fears other items would be introduced. Well, that can’t happen because the platform and agenda are proposed prior to calling the convention. If something like that were tried, 38 states would still be required to ratify it. So, a runaway, out of control convention is an unrealistic scenario and being used as a scare tactic by those who would rather keep the status quo.
It’s time for We The People to reclaim our local, state and federal governments. Your Vote this Tuesday, August 9 and again on November 8 are critical for electing representatives that will represent you. Not some ideological party platform. Your Vote matters!
The Convention of States movement is sweeping the country, 19 state legislatures have passed resolutions to call a convention. Only 15 more states are needed. Elect the right people into office to get our country back on track!
For more information stop and see us at The Vermont State Fair August 16-20th or go to www.ConventionofStates.com
George Wilson
COS District Captain – Windham-Bennington
Categories: Commentary
The deep state and the left would absolutely take over, full bore election theft style shenanigans. As bad of an idea as Vermont secession was for the same reason. Do not give them the opportunity.
The deep state and the left would absolutely take over. Full bore election theft style shenanigans. As bad as an idea as Vermont secession was for the same reason. Do not give them the opportunity.
Questions for anyone:
1. Who decides what items go on the agenda?
2. Who came up with the list of just these three?
I can think of a number of other items to put on the agenda including:
1. Limiting the Supreme Court overreach into private lives.
2. Bringing the 2nd Amendment up to date with 21st century technology.
John,
1. That is the duty of both the Supreme Court, the jury, and then down to the states to protect individual liberty. Actually, the ONLY legitimate function of any government entity is written in the preamble of the constitution. Much of the government is performing perverted acts that are far beyond their authority. In the end, they will continue to change the meanings of words, and play ignorant, and pass illegal laws. The government is a reflection of it’s people. Everyone thinks they are smart enough to spend other peoples wealth for “their idea to help this group”, or “common sense idea here”; as well as corporations who benefit. Every single monopoly is created by illegal statutes. Every single destruction of wealth is caused by a government malinvestment and manipulation of the money supply. There is a constant state of “I want this from government”, at every direction, and when everyone gets something, it is something they are taking from someone else. Every single government institution is designed to infinitely encroach on your private life. We need private police, private towns, private everything but some essential highways for potential invasion, and a common set of rules that CANNOT BE BROKEN!. If we follow the laws already in place, we would be fine. You have the NATURAL right to your own private life. The constitution talks a lot about it. Tell your reps to support the law of the land! Amendments are for organizational purposes, Positive rights in the bill of rights are Natural rights. Such Positive rights are things that cannot be grated, and they cannot be taken away. Even with a 99.99999% majority opinion. That is why democracy is not the law of the land. The constitution is, and it’s acknowledgement of our rights.
2. I absolutely agree with you. They need to immediately remove any and all traces of data on folks who are purchasing firearms. Hackers, Foreign Enemies, and Gangs, all use the current public data on firearm registration and “background checks”, to gain very valuable data against innocent people who just need tools to protect themselves. The same firearms every single public agency uses, are the same ones that common folks need available without dangerous and illegal tracing schemes.
Good thing it’s the 21st century, and it’s easy for individuals to lookup who has a criminal record. The secretary of the state should immediately make all criminal databases open to the public for scrutiny, and so that developers in the 21st century can make a criminal lookup app, where individuals transferring dangerous machinery may lookup if the other person is someone they want to deal with. The uses go far beyond that obviously. but I’m all for 21’s century gun rights. All these politicians have no idea what they are doing with these regulations, and trying to make safety features felonies! Can you believe it! It just never ends! Scrap all illegal gun laws, and let people know who the bad guys are so we can keep criminals on close watch. While we are at it, lets stop printing money we don’t have to fight other folks wars for them. Private individuals and security companies can go fight, and in the 21st century people that support the war can donate with several 21st century apps! No more old fashioned need for destroying the money supply!
Good talking to you brother. You go boy!
Isn’t it curious that Vermont is the only State without a balanced budget requirment? Vermont doesn’t have term limits either? And with 40% of the workforce employed in the heavily tax subsidized government, healthcare, and education sectors, why would anyone expect the legislature to restrict its power and money control? How else, after all, could these folks have a guaranteed-benefit pension system when no one else in the State does? And it doesn’t matter that the pensions are unfunded today… there’s no limit to what can be spent on their behalf tomorrow.
So what about ‘the people’?
Let them eat cake.
The Commiecrats fear a Convention of States because only a few more are needed to invoke one. And since it is all the Republican controlled states whose legislatures approved of one it is more than likely that things like the 17th Amendment would be repealed. They could throw out the income tax and replace it with a national sales tax or a flat tax which would severely degrade the IRS. They could get rid of the unconstitutional entities, BATFE, Dept of Education, EPA, Bureau of Land Management.
They could order disarmed all of these weaponized agencies. They could strengthen the “separation of powers” They could re-write anything in the constitution in regard to the house, the senate, the judiciary. Anything that they do must be ratified by two-thirds of the states
That’s 3/4ths of the states to ratify amendments 38 states. 34 or 2/3rds to call for the convention. One vote per state at the convention to ratify. Only those articles presented at the convention would be considered.
REPEALING OF THE 17 AMENDMENT, if you were a Senator, you’d be afraid too.
https://conventionofstates.com/latest
“This country, with its institutions, belong to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it”. – Abraham Lincoln
“It is unfortunate that “Vito” cannot indulge in an intellectual discussion without resorting to name-calling. We will never begin to bring our country together until such childish behavior is repudiated by all.
Arrogance and fear of the loss of power and control