Do we want to destroy our country and replace it with a more progressive one? Or obey our Constitution and restore the republic?
February 26, 2016
Present Action in the West Virginia Legislature calling for an Article V convention
Whereas, the Legislators of the great state of West Virginia are blaming our nation's mess on the federal government, and refusing to admit any culpability themselves; and
Whereas, the Legislators are unwilling to attempt other Constitutionally-authorized means for asserting the authority and power of the states; and
Whereas, the Legislators are joining with other states in conspiring to destroy our country via an Article V Convention;
I submit that the Senators and Delegates whose names are found on the below-referenced documents are either foolishly or willfully attempting to establish a means for eliminating all vestiges of the Constitution that was bequeathed to us by the country’s founders, bought for us by the blood of brave patriots and soldiers of the Revolutionary War and of subsequent wars, fortified by hard-working men and women who built the United States of America into the greatest nation in the world, and sustained for us by our predecessors who studied the history of the world and looked at the various types of government and who proudly proclaimed our constitutional republic to be the best government for free people.
I further submit that the actions of current and previous Legislators—whether a result of ignorance or malevolence—have resulted in the state allowing the federal government to become the tyrannical behemoth that it is, and that the calling for an Article V convention is a cover-up for the failures of the state government to govern according to the Constitution.
I urge you to look at these documents, read them in the light of the information found on the various pages at this site and decide if you think these men and women, who wrote these treasonous documents in the lofty language and careful words of lawmakers, can hold a candle to the men who made our country great.
These are the various bills and resolutions that are currently pending in the West Virginia Legislature. Links to bill text are provided.
SCR 4
Introduced by Senators Beach and Romano on 1/19/16
“Petitioning Congress to call convention for proposing amendments to US Constitution”
1/21/16, “Senator Romano requests to be removed as sponsor of bill”
This resolution wants to limit the “convention to propose amendments in order to address concerns such as those raised by the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010), 130 S.Ct. 876, and related cases and events. . . .“
and “desires that the delegates to the convention shall be comprised equally from individuals currently elected to state and local office, or be selected by election in each congressional district. . . .”
and prohibits “individuals elected or appointed to federal office, now or in the past. . . “ from being delegates.
SCR 10
Introduced By Senators Karnes, Blair, Boley, Boso, Carmichael, Ferns, Gaunch, Leonhardt, Maynard, Mullins and Trump on 1/21/16
“Urging Congress call convention to amend constitution of United States”
ALERT: This resolution was adopted by the Senate (Voice vote) on 2/23/16 and is presently in the House Judiciary Committee
It claims that “The states alone have the authority to ‘limit’ the agenda and authority of a convention. The states alone can call for a ‘Single Issue’ convention by agreeing among themselves the purpose, terms, conditions, duration and agenda for the convention.”
[Note that it mentions “Single Issue” but lists several issues below.]
It wants “a convention of the states limited to 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 for its officials and for members of Congress and absolutely no other business will be authorized at this convention”
The legislators correctly acknowledge that “It is the solemn duty of the states to protect the liberty of our people—particularly for the generations to come. . . .”
HCR 36
Introduced by Overington, Ambler, Anderson, Arvon, Atkinson, Azinger, Bates, Blair, Border, Butler, Cadle, Canterbury, Cooper, Deem, Ellington, Espinosa, Evans, A., Evans, D., Faircloth, Fast, Flanigan, Folk, Foster, Frich, Gearheart, Hamilton, Hamrick, Hanshaw, Hill, Householder, Howell, Ihle, Kelly, Kessinger, Kurcaba, Lane, Marcum, McCuskey, McGeehan, Miller, Moffatt, Moye, Nelson, E., O'Neal, Perry, Phillips, Rohrbach, Romine, Rowan, Shott, Smith, P., Smith, R., Sobonya, Stansbury, Statler, Storch, Summers, Trecost, Upson, Wagner, Walters, Waxman, Weld, Westfall, White, B., Ireland, Zatezalo, Shaffer on 2/8/16
“Applying for an Article V Amendments Convention to Propose a Constitutional Amendment”
This resolution seeks a Balanced Budget Amendment [please see the article about the BBA on this site] and states: “This application is to be considered as covering the same subject matter as the presently outstanding balanced budget applications from other states, including, but not limited to, previously adopted applications from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas and Utah, and this application shall be aggregated with same for the purpose of attaining the two thirds of states necessary to require the calling of a convention, but shall not be aggregated with any applications on any other subject; “
and
“requiring that in the absence of a national emergency the total of all federal appropriations made by the Congress for any fiscal year may not exceed the total of all estimated federal revenues for that fiscal year together with any related and appropriate fiscal restraints;”
HCR 80
Introduced by Overington, Ambler, Anderson, Arvon, Atkinson, Azinger, Blair, Border, Butler, Cadle, Canterbury, Cooper, Ellington, Espinosa, Evans, D., Faircloth, Fast, Folk, Foster, Frich, Gearheart, Hill, Householder, Howell, Ihle, Ireland, Kessinger, Kurcaba, Marcum, McCuskey, McGeehan, Miller, Moffatt, Nelson, E., Phillips, Rohrbach, Rowan, Smith, R., Sobonya, Stansbury, Statler, Summers, Upson, Wagner, Walters, Waxman, Weld, Westfall, White, B., Zatezalo, Hamrick, Shaffer on 2/22/16
“Calling on and applying to the United States Congress to call a convention of the states”
This resolution asserts that the “Constitution empowered State Legislators to be guardians of liberty against future abuses of power by the federal government which has created a crushing national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and. . .
“The federal government has invaded the legitimate roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent, and the federal government has ceased to live under a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United States; and. . .
“It is the solemn duty of the States to protect the liberty of our people—particularly for the generations to come. . . .”
Like SCR 10, it has several goals: “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 for its officials and for members of Congress. Absolutely no other business will be authorized at this convention; “
SB 25
Introduced by Karnes, Leonhardt, Blair on 1/13/16
“Providing selection procedure for state delegates to Article V convention”
This is a bill (as opposed to resolution) and attempts to establish some guidelines for a convention:
“Committee of correspondence” (for establishing rules, etc.)
“each state has one equal vote. No . . . . proportional representation of the states based on their respective populations.”
Delegates “shall take the following oath: ‘I do solemnly swear or affirm that to the best of my abilities, I will, as a delegate or alternate to an Article V Convention, uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States of America and the State of West Virginia. I will not vote to allow consideration of or to approve any unauthorized amendment proposed for ratification to the United States of America Constitution.’”
Oh, yes, oaths are important!
HB 2424
Introduced by Overington, Gearheart, Cadle, Butler, Householder, Moffatt, Faircloth, Frich, Sobonya, Howell on 1/13/16
“Providing a procedure for West Virginia to select delegates to an Article V convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America”
This House bill is basically the same as the Senate bill, SB 25, above.