Compact For America - What is it?
Compact For America (CFA) is proposing a convention application that has all the rules for said convention contained within the application. It also has a pre-written Balanced Budget Amendment that cannot be altered by a convention. In fact, if anyone tries to modify the pre-written BBA, this “rogue delegate” will immediately be sent packing. This appears to be the completely safe answer to all the fears previously expressed by critics.
This is a great idea! Or, is it?
Publius Huldah warns:
“Compact for America’s pretended BBA is actually a tricky device for imposing a national sales tax or value added tax on the American People – on top of the income tax – and does nothing to limit federal spending.”
https://publiushuldah.wordpress.com/
In this next article, PH examines each section of CFA’s proposed BBA. Balancing the Budget? Or Adding A National Sales Tax To The Income Tax? I’m copying here a lengthy portion of her article.
“Section 1 says the federal government may not spend more than they take from you in taxes or add to the national debt. [Yes, you read that right.]
Section 2 accepts debt as a permanent feature of our Country – the “Authorized Debt”. This is the maximum amount of debt the federal government may incur at any given point in time.
Section 4 says whenever the national debt exceeds 98% of “the debt limit set by Section 2”, the President shall “impound” sufficient expenditures so that the national debt won’t exceed the “authorized debt”. And if the President doesn’t do this, Congress may impeach him!
This is a hoot, Folks! I’ll show you:
Now pay attention, because this is a monstrous trick to be played on you: Section 6 defines “general revenue tax” as “any income tax, sales tax, or value-added tax” levied by the federal government.
And when you read the first sentence of Section 5 with the definition of “general revenue tax” in place of “general revenue tax”, you see that it says:
“No bill that provides for a new or increased income tax, sales tax, or value-added tax shall become law unless approved by a two-thirds roll call vote…”
Do you see? This permits Congress to impose a national sales tax or value added tax in addition to the income tax, 3 if 2/3 of both houses agree. [Yes, you read that right.]
But the trickery of the drafters of this evil piece of work is even worse. Section 5 also says that any bill for a new sales tax which would replace the federal income tax need only be approved by a simple majority of the members of both houses.
This makes most readers believe that the income tax would be replaced by a sales tax.
But the Amendment does not require Congress to introduce a sales tax to replace the income tax. [Remember, that sales tax requires only a simple majority to get passed.]
Whereas it authorizes Congress to impose a sales tax or value-added tax in addition to the income tax! [This sales tax requires a 2/3 majority to get passed.]
Do you see? Are they tricky or what!
And which option will Congress choose?
Section 6 sets forth the definitions for the amendment. As you see, you must always read the definitions and apply them to the text.
Section 7 says the Amendment is “self-enforcing”. Rubbish! No Constitution or amendment is “self-enforcing”. There is only one way to enforce our Constitution: WE THE PEOPLE, who are “the natural guardians of the Constitution” (Federalist No. 16, next to last para), enforce it by learning it and by throwing out politicians who ignore it. And we must always be on guard against the wolves who seek to destroy it.
Nick Dranias, on the Board of Directors for the Compact for America , is a constitutional lawyer. History professor, Kevin R. C. Gutzman, on the Advisory Council, is a lawyer. Other prominent lawyers and a 5th Circuit Court Judge, are on the Council. They all know what their BBA really does.”
~~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It will be a good idea to look at the men who are promoting the CFA. This article reveals the background of some of the CFA board and advisory council members. Compact for America’s ConCon – Yes, There are Big Concerns by Michelle Horstman
Lawrence Lessig is a leftist, a blasphemer and friend and associate of both George Soros and Barack Obama. Lessig is also on the boards of Call a Convention, ConventionUSA, and Rootstrikers and works closely with Mark Meckler’s Convention of States. Apparently, he just wants a Con-Con in whatever way he can get it. Mark McKinnon is a leftist, former Democrat who now likes being known as a RINO, worked on Republican campaigns but supported Obama, is on the board of a Democrat Party think tank but wants to start a RINO third party.
Read this dire assessment in a second article by Horstman, Article V Con-Con Groups in a Coalition – Who is Holding Hands with Whom:
“. . . but it appears that many of the Con-Con movements are actually in a coalition together. The different groups in the coalition all seemed to have had representation at the original 2011 Con-Con conference put on by Meckler and Lessig, and include some very radical players. It is possible that the thinking has been to organize subgroups that would appeal to different factions, but actually be working as a coalition behind the scenes. Certainly, that has been the result. The coalition is brought together on the Call a Convention site, also headed up by Lessig.”
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)—that staunch advocate of state sovereignty, personal freedom and the 10th Amendment (NOT!)—has approved the CFA’s Con-Con application.
http://www.alec.org/model-legislation/resolution-to-effectuate-the-compact-for-america/
I’d say we have plenty of reasons to tell CFA to stay out of our state!
This is a great idea! Or, is it?
Publius Huldah warns:
“Compact for America’s pretended BBA is actually a tricky device for imposing a national sales tax or value added tax on the American People – on top of the income tax – and does nothing to limit federal spending.”
https://publiushuldah.wordpress.com/
In this next article, PH examines each section of CFA’s proposed BBA. Balancing the Budget? Or Adding A National Sales Tax To The Income Tax? I’m copying here a lengthy portion of her article.
“Section 1 says the federal government may not spend more than they take from you in taxes or add to the national debt. [Yes, you read that right.]
Section 2 accepts debt as a permanent feature of our Country – the “Authorized Debt”. This is the maximum amount of debt the federal government may incur at any given point in time.
- Initially, when the Amendment is ratified, the “authorized debt” may not be more than 105% of the then existing national debt. So! If the national debt is $20 trillion when the Amendment is ratified, the federal government may not initially add more than 105% of $20 trillion [or $1 trillion] to the national debt.
- After that initial addition to the national debt, the “authorized debt” may not be increased unless it is approved by State Legislatures as provided in Section 3.
Section 4 says whenever the national debt exceeds 98% of “the debt limit set by Section 2”, the President shall “impound” sufficient expenditures so that the national debt won’t exceed the “authorized debt”. And if the President doesn’t do this, Congress may impeach him!
This is a hoot, Folks! I’ll show you:
- No debt limit is set by Section 2! The national debt can be increased at any time if Congress gets 26 State Legislatures to agree. Can 26 States be bought?
- Section 6 defines “impoundment” as “a proposal not to spend all or part of a sum of money appropriated by Congress”. Who believes Congress will impeach the President 2 for failing to “impound” an appropriation made by Congress?
Now pay attention, because this is a monstrous trick to be played on you: Section 6 defines “general revenue tax” as “any income tax, sales tax, or value-added tax” levied by the federal government.
And when you read the first sentence of Section 5 with the definition of “general revenue tax” in place of “general revenue tax”, you see that it says:
“No bill that provides for a new or increased income tax, sales tax, or value-added tax shall become law unless approved by a two-thirds roll call vote…”
Do you see? This permits Congress to impose a national sales tax or value added tax in addition to the income tax, 3 if 2/3 of both houses agree. [Yes, you read that right.]
But the trickery of the drafters of this evil piece of work is even worse. Section 5 also says that any bill for a new sales tax which would replace the federal income tax need only be approved by a simple majority of the members of both houses.
This makes most readers believe that the income tax would be replaced by a sales tax.
But the Amendment does not require Congress to introduce a sales tax to replace the income tax. [Remember, that sales tax requires only a simple majority to get passed.]
Whereas it authorizes Congress to impose a sales tax or value-added tax in addition to the income tax! [This sales tax requires a 2/3 majority to get passed.]
Do you see? Are they tricky or what!
And which option will Congress choose?
Section 6 sets forth the definitions for the amendment. As you see, you must always read the definitions and apply them to the text.
Section 7 says the Amendment is “self-enforcing”. Rubbish! No Constitution or amendment is “self-enforcing”. There is only one way to enforce our Constitution: WE THE PEOPLE, who are “the natural guardians of the Constitution” (Federalist No. 16, next to last para), enforce it by learning it and by throwing out politicians who ignore it. And we must always be on guard against the wolves who seek to destroy it.
Nick Dranias, on the Board of Directors for the Compact for America , is a constitutional lawyer. History professor, Kevin R. C. Gutzman, on the Advisory Council, is a lawyer. Other prominent lawyers and a 5th Circuit Court Judge, are on the Council. They all know what their BBA really does.”
~~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It will be a good idea to look at the men who are promoting the CFA. This article reveals the background of some of the CFA board and advisory council members. Compact for America’s ConCon – Yes, There are Big Concerns by Michelle Horstman
Lawrence Lessig is a leftist, a blasphemer and friend and associate of both George Soros and Barack Obama. Lessig is also on the boards of Call a Convention, ConventionUSA, and Rootstrikers and works closely with Mark Meckler’s Convention of States. Apparently, he just wants a Con-Con in whatever way he can get it. Mark McKinnon is a leftist, former Democrat who now likes being known as a RINO, worked on Republican campaigns but supported Obama, is on the board of a Democrat Party think tank but wants to start a RINO third party.
Read this dire assessment in a second article by Horstman, Article V Con-Con Groups in a Coalition – Who is Holding Hands with Whom:
“. . . but it appears that many of the Con-Con movements are actually in a coalition together. The different groups in the coalition all seemed to have had representation at the original 2011 Con-Con conference put on by Meckler and Lessig, and include some very radical players. It is possible that the thinking has been to organize subgroups that would appeal to different factions, but actually be working as a coalition behind the scenes. Certainly, that has been the result. The coalition is brought together on the Call a Convention site, also headed up by Lessig.”
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)—that staunch advocate of state sovereignty, personal freedom and the 10th Amendment (NOT!)—has approved the CFA’s Con-Con application.
http://www.alec.org/model-legislation/resolution-to-effectuate-the-compact-for-america/
I’d say we have plenty of reasons to tell CFA to stay out of our state!