Religious conservatives behind push to rewrite U.S. Constitution using obscure maneuver

[Triana]

. . .

Michael Farris, founder and president of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, is behind the Convention of the States campaign that seeks to limit the federal government through the obscure procedure.

. . .

If a constitutional convention was convened, religious protections guaranteed by the First Amendment could potentially be weakened or repealed to promote the conservative Christianity advocated by COS supporters, according to Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

. . .

“A lot of educational effort is going into both sides of this issue,” said the group’s spokesman, Bill Hahn. “However, since an Article 5 convention process would be unlimited, the outcome of such a convention could be detrimental not only to the Constitution, but to the security and happiness of this and future generations of Americans.”

But the COS movement, which is promoted by Tea Party groups and the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, is gaining momentum...

THE REST:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/13/religious-conservatives-behind-push-to-rewrite-u-s-constitution-using-obscure-maneuver/#

[msongs]

1. and all this because we have a black president. digusting nt

[El_Johns]

8. Nothing to do with a black president, just a continuation of the same policies the religious right

has been pushing forever. But it wasn't until Reagan they started getting a lot of backing and it's been downhill ever since.

[KamaAina]

2. They need two-thirds of the state legislatures to sign on

and any amendments that come out of such a convention have to be ratified just like amendments proposed by Congress.

http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A5.html

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress;

I'm not holding my breath, although ALEC's involvement is a bit pause-giving.

[Triana]

3. Yea the ALEC involvement got my attention too.

These idiots want to turn the US into a theocracy/dominionist nation, ruled by a bible rather than a constitution.

One word comes to mind when I think of that: Taliban.

[El_Johns]

9. ALEC's involvement is *highly* pause giving since ALEC is basically a lot of big US corporations.

What's their interest in creating an American Taliban? The only reason I can think of is to defund social services and empower the religious right to provide "alternatives".

But that doesn't seem like a good enough reason.

[CatholicEdHead]

12. What is up with the Georgia Senate

They have voted to make a new Constitution. In this atmosphere it will be very difficult as you say. There are not enough GOP leaning states for 2/3rds to even start it.

Maybe this is the bigger plan as part of the focus on the state level in the last decade? To gerrymander to get 2/3rds and eventually 3/4ths of the states to be GOP? It will take at least one more census cycle to even have a small chance.

[Thinkingabout]

4. This is a problem, another reason why we should have separation of church and state.

This bunch would be most unhappy if the Constitution would be written to prevent them from worshiping as they choose but they do not think it is bad to cram their religion and thoughts down everybody else's throats. It is the American Taliban getting started and it needs to be stopped.

[Triana]

6. "It is the American Taliban getting started and it needs to be stopped."

EXACTLY.

[struggle4progress]

5. A constitutional convention is an incredibly bad idea

[davidn3600]

7. I read into this thing once

From what I remember it needs 32 states to call a convention, only a simple majority is needed to approve a amendment for ratification, but 3/4ths of all 50 states are still required to ratify anything that comes out of it.

But this has been suggested several times throughout the history of the nation and never has there been enough states on board to do it. The GOP doesn't have enough control in the states to do it right now by themselves. However there has been some talk that if the GOP is ever in striking distance they may try to entice some Democrat states to come on board by promising things like the Equal Rights Amendment would be approved.

The reason the convention idea exists is a safety valve to satisfy some of the framers who were concerned the federal government would grow too powerful and wipe out the states.

[gater]

10. Hi David! It's Democratic States. Democrat state is what right-wingers say.

[OutNow]

11. I hear Costa Rica is lovely this time of year

Well, it's lovely any time of the year, but would be even lovelier if this constitutional convention things gets traction.

[Ikonoklast]

13. They can certainly try, but it ain't happening.

"Gaining momentum" in the fringe religious nutjob circles, but nowhere else.

These people think everyone thinks just like them and that their crazy ideas would just sail into law, where most citizens, even other religious ones, dislike the evangelical nutjob fringers just as much as everyone else does.

You want to start the bloodiest civil war this planet has ever seen? Put religious nutcases in charge of telling everyone else what to do.

They are currently destroying the Republican Party from within, they can't even get every conservative on their side.

[Dwayne Hicks]

14. Silly

I doubt this would even get off the ground.