Unanswered Questions about ConCon
IF YOU CANNOT ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, THEN YOU SHOULD OPPOSE AN ARTICLE V CONVENTION
How would delegates from Texas be selected or elected to a Convention of the States?
How would delegates from other states be selected or elected to a COS?
How many delegates do you think Texas should send to a COS?
What would happen if the COS decided to write its own rules so that 2/3 of the states need not be present to get amendments passed?
What authority will be responsible for determining the number of delegates from each state?
Would Delegates be selected based on Population, number of Registered Voters, or along Party lines?
What authority would be responsible for selecting the Venue for the Convention?
What authority would be responsible for electing the Leaders of the convention?
How would the Speaker of the Convention be selected or elected?
What authority would be responsible for organizing the convention, such as committee selection, committee chairs and members, etc.?
What authority will establish the Rules of the Convention, including the number of votes required to pass a Constitutional Amendment?
Where would the Convention be held?
Who will fund this Convention?
The late Justice of the Supreme Court, Arthur Goldberg answered these questions about limiting a Constitutional Convention: one of the most serious problems Article V poses is a runaway convention. There is no enforceable mechanism to prevent a convention from reporting out wholesale changes to our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Moreover, the absence of any mechanism to ensure representative selection of delegates could put a runaway convention in the hands of single-issue groups whose self-interest may be contrary to our national well-being.It would be foolish to place our wonderful God-given liberties, protected by our constitution, at risk for any reason however well-intended. The unintended consequences could mean the death of the greatest document, next to the Holy Bible, ever written.
Do not tamper with our constitution under Article V in this volatile political climate—Liberal media, Liberal delegates, Liberal demonstrators outside the convention hall. Don’t let politicians from state legislatures and Liberal University Professors who believe our constitution is outdated mess with our constitution. Instead, work to educate an uninformed, misinformed electorate who will support constitutional candidates to the Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches of government.
The Republican Party of Texas (RPT) Platform opposes a Constitutional Convention:
Constitutional Convention—“We oppose any constitutional convention to re-write the United States Constitution. We demand the Legislature rescind the 1977 call for such a convention. We call upon other states to rescind their votes for such a convention.”
Unfortunately, the 2014 RPT Platform Committee added a resolution in favor of a Convention of the States without any debate.
Shirley Spellerberg, Member of RPT Platform Committee—1998-2006 and 2010
