Do the 50 States need to invoke their power to call a Constitutional Convention?

[Sunshine]

So the answer to there being so many people in Washington not doing their jobs but being paid for the jobs they aren't doing is to put more people in Washington and pay them too? Groovy.

 

[Mustang]

Let's face it. Washington can't fix itself from the top down.

It needs to be fixed from the bottom up.

An easy way to restore popular control would to call a Constitutional Convention, and propose the least controversial of all fixes --- vastly increasing the size of the House of Representatives and restoring State control over the Senate. Today we are under-represented. Approximately 1 Representative for every 700,000 citizens, as opposed to 1 per 30,000 at the founding of the United Stated.

Amendment:
There shall exist 1 Representative for every 30,000 citizens.

Amendment:
The 17th Amendment is repealed, and the original method of choosing Senators is restored.

---------------------------
With 10,000+ Representatives we could finally end the Washington gridlock, implode the 2-party tyranny and use the FEDERAL government to fix itself. Local and State control would be restored, as would Popular Sovereignty, the foundational philosophy of republican and democratic governments.

If you're talking about an open convention, it would be a cavalcade of utter confusion as every group under the sun vied to get their proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot.

 

[Sunshine]

you meant 57 states, right?

Obama Claims He's Visited 57 States - YouTube

I'm sure those include the state of Euphoria, the state of Self Importance, the state of Over Confidence, the state of Arrogance, the state of Stupidity, the state of Lunacy, and the state of Confusion.

 

[DiamondDave]

Our courts determine how we follow the Constitution to the letter.....not a bunch of posters on an internet message board

And that is stated in the constitution WHERE?? That power is granted WHERE??

It is a power the court GRABBED FOR ITSELF.... not that was constitutionally granted thru any constitutional process

Marbury vs Madison

If you disagree with the finding, the Constitution provides a methodology for you to change it

And that was a constitutional amendment??

Nope.. sorry

As stated... it is a power the court grabbed for itself.. it had no authority to do so... if you think it does, PLEASE SHOW THE WORDING IN THE CONSTITUTION THAT GRANTS IT.. we will be waiting...

To make it a little easier for you




Section 1 - Judicial powers

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section 2 - Trial by Jury, Original Jurisdiction, Jury Trials

(The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.) (This section in parentheses is modified by the 11th Amendment.)

In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Section 3 - Treason Note

Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.



Amendment 5 - Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings. Ratified 12/15/1791.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.



Amendment 6 - Right to Speedy Trial, Confrontation of Witnesses. Ratified 12/15/1791.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.



Amendment 7 - Trial by Jury in Civil Cases. Ratified 12/15/1791.

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.




Amendment 11 - Judicial Limits. Ratified 2/7/1795.

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

 

[candycorn]

I would support a Constitutional amendment to ban all tax expenditures.

That would go a long way toward leveling the campaign election field. It would blow a big hole in the current 98 percent re-election rate of House incumbents who run for re-election.

Makes you wonder why there is such a high retention rate...ask just about ANYONE if they trust the government...the answer is no...yet they keep re-electing the same folks.

 

[Unkotare]

I've long thought about a Constitutional Convention and sadly don't think it would ever work...

Of course not. You'd never find a place with enough bars nearby.

 

[longknife]

I just came up with a brilliant idea [stolen from the Brits] limit all political campaigns for ALL offices to 90 days before the election date!

 

[Unkotare]

The United States Constitution says, "Nuh-uh!"



The British don't have a written constitution, so they can make that kind of shit up all day long.

 

[longknife]

The United States Constitution says, "Nuh-uh!"



The British don't have a written constitution, so they can make that kind of shit up all day long.

Excuse me - but where in the constitution does it have anything to say about political campaigns and their lengths?

 

[Little-Acorn]

Keep in mind, of course, that a Constitutional Convention cannot change the Constitution, no matter who called it.

All a ConCon can do, is propose changes to the Constitution. Just as Congress can with a 2/3 vote of each House.

The Constitution can only be changed by 3/4 of the states ratifying those proposals.

To ratify, a state can either have its legislature vote, or it can form a little ConCon for itself, to ratify.

 

[Unkotare]

The United States Constitution says, "Nuh-uh!"



The British don't have a written constitution, so they can make that kind of shit up all day long.

Excuse me - but where in the constitution does it have anything to say about political campaigns and their lengths?

Freedom of Speech, baby. Something like that would never make it through the courts.

 

[konradv]

With 10,000+ Representatives we could finally end the Washington gridlock, implode the 2-party tyranny and use the FEDERAL government to fix itself. Local and State control would be restored, as would Popular Sovereignty, the foundational philosophy of republican and democratic governments.

You really want that many representitives? American business would go broke having that many politicians to legally bribe(campaign contributions). Public financing of elections is a much better way to go, if you want to amend the Constitution.

 

[Unkotare]

Have y'all seen some of the absolute mental defectives that are serving in the House of Representatives now? This is the best we can find and you want more? More who will probably be even crazier, more corrupt, less qualified, and of even lower mental & moral caliber that what we've got?

 

[LadyGunSlinger]

Let's face it. Washington can't fix itself from the top down.

It needs to be fixed from the bottom up.

An easy way to restore popular control would to call a Constitutional Convention, and propose the least controversial of all fixes --- vastly increasing the size of the House of Representatives and restoring State control over the Senate. Today we are under-represented. Approximately 1 Representative for every 700,000 citizens, as opposed to 1 per 30,000 at the founding of the United Stated.

Amendment:
There shall exist 1 Representative for every 30,000 citizens.

Amendment:
The 17th Amendment is repealed, and the original method of choosing Senators is restored.

---------------------------
With 10,000+ Representatives we could finally end the Washington gridlock, implode the 2-party tyranny and use the FEDERAL government to fix itself. Local and State control would be restored, as would Popular Sovereignty, the foundational philosophy of republican and democratic governments.

I agree.. The Centralized government has become much too powerful, the fix is in from gerrymandering districts to Campaign finance- (what a joke).. Nothing will ever change until the States awaken and begin to take back this Union- opposing the tyrannical federal government.

 

[LadyGunSlinger]

You PROGRESSIVE Zombies can exit left.. this thread is about liberty and freedom which means you have no place in it..

 

[rightwinger]

Amendment:
There shall exist 1 Representative for every 30,000 citizens.

Just like at the founding of the country? How quaint

We have much more access to our Congressional Representatives today than we did 200 years ago. They are more answerable to "We the people" than they were at our founding
They are also much more representative of the population

No, they are not. You're either willfully stupid, or dishonest. I'm guessing both. Representation in government is a myth. You're lucky to get an area where 50% of the people are represented.

More shit shoveling from the USMB shit shoveler.

Maybe you can help...

Are retards naturally drawn to libertarian theories or do libertarian theories turn you into a retard?

Representatives are much more accessible than at the founding of our nation. Telephone, email, websites, Facebook, twitter provide instant access. The Internet, TV, CSPAN allow voters to see how their representative does on a daily basis

Representative of the people?

How many representatives at the founding of our country were women or black or came from working families?

 

[Unkotare]

I wonder how those convention plans are coming along...