Convention of the States

Had enough of runaway federal spending and other abuses by the federal government?

Some have suggested a Convention of the States to propose changes to the Constitution to bring things back in check.

SR 736, a Convention of the States resolution, goes to the floor of the Georgia Senate on Tuesday.

Here's the text:

Senate Resolution 736 

By: Senators Staton of the 18th, Shafer of the 48th, Chance of the 16th, Miller of the 49th,
Hill of the 32nd and others  

A RESOLUTION 

1 Applying for a convention of the states under Article V of the United States Constitution; and
2 for other purposes. 

3 WHEREAS, the founders of the Constitution of the United States empowered state
4 legislators to be guardians of liberty against future abuses of power by the federal
5 government; and 

6 WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing national debt through improper
7 and imprudent spending; and 

8 WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate roles of the states through
9 the manipulative process of federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent;
10 and 

11 WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to live under a proper interpretation of the
12 Constitution of the United States; and 

13 WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect the liberty of our people,
14 particularly for the generations to come, by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the
15 United States through a convention of the states under Article V of the United States
16 Constitution to place clear restraints on these and related abuses of power. 

17 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
18 GEORGIA that the General Assembly of the State of Georgia hereby applies to Congress,
19 under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of
20 a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments to the United States Constitution
21 that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of
22 the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of
23 Congress. 

24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is hereby directed to transmit
25 copies of this application to the President and Secretary of the United States Senate and to
26 the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, to transmit copies to
27 the members of the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives from
28 this state, and to transmit copies hereof to the presiding officers of each of the legislative
29 houses in the several states, requesting their cooperation. 

30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this application constitutes a continuing application in
31 accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of
32 at least two-thirds of the several states have made applications on the same subject.

###

I'm personally not convinced a convention intended to begin amending the Constitution is the way to go.

Despite assurances it can't happen, is there any chance progressive political powers could wrest control of such a convention, and deliver on dreams of taking our constitution in a more socialist (or fascist) direction?

Some on the Left have long schemed and dreamed of scrapping the 1789 document in favor of a completely new constitution (Examples here and here).

And the Left's had its dream long before conservatives hit upon the idea of using an amendment or two to bring things back in-line.