STOP Con Con

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STOP ConCon is a grassroots movement first organized in May 2016 to stop the Convention of States and other variations on an Article V Convention to change the U.S. Constitution.

A successful constitutional convention would require what existed in 1787, which included:

(1) Framers who loved our country after risking their lives for it against tyranny
(2) secrecy from the media
(3) disinterest by liberals
(4) strong, selfless conservative leadership (George Washington)

None of those conditions exists at this time, when all of those conditions would be essential for success.

The provision in Article V of the Constitution for a constitutional convention is there for the same reason there is an emergency exit on an airplane. It is not to be used unless absolutely necessary to save everyone's life.

If it is simply a matter of people not obeying the current Constitution, then they are not going to abide by a new one either. Worse, a new constitutional convention would open the door to immense liberal mischief to change the quintessential conservative document, our current Constitution.

Helpful three part video summary by Phyllis here: [1]

Automatically fails when Congress is Democratic-controlled

Under Article V, only Congress can call the convention, after receiving applications from at least 34 states. But for most of the last century, Congress has been controlled by Democrats, which means they would control the call, pick the Chairman of the convention, and dictate its agenda. In other words, the Convention of States would utterly fail to meet its purported goals when fiscal restraint would be most needed, when Democrats are in control of Congress.

Needs a Fiscal Note

The Texas House passed Convention of States (HJR 77) in 2015 by falsely pretending that there was no fiscal impact of the Con Con. This is absurd and a fiscal note must be assigned to any Con Con proposal. The convention itself will cost money for delegates from the state to attend, and if there is any restraint on the federal government as promoters promise, then that will have a fiscal impact also.

Needs a Sunset Provision

At a minimum, any such resolution should have a sunset provision such that it automatically expires within five years, if not sooner.

Violates Republican Party Platform

89% of Republican officials vote consistently with the stances in the Republican Party Platform. Con Con violates the Platform, which resoundingly rejected an attempt to insert a version of the Con Con into it in July 2016.

Applications need to be identical

The applications need to be identical to each other, and the Convention of States applications have not been. A summary of their differences are below:

  • Alaska HJR 22 - "BE IT RESOLVED that, under art. V, Constitution of the United States, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully applies to the United States Congress to call a convention of the states for the sole purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office of federal government officials;"
  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Indiana SJR 14 - "The legislature of the State of Indiana hereby applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraints of the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress."
  • Louisiana HCR 52 - "THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby memorialize and apply to the United States Congress for the calling of a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints upon its activities, and limit the terms of office that may be served by its officials and by members of Congress."
  • Oklahoma
  • Tennessee SJR 67 - "BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that this legislative body does hereby apply to Congress under the provisions of Article V of the United States Constitution for the calling of a convention of the states, limited to proposing amendments to the United States Constitution that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office ...."

See also

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