What would it take to call another Constitutional Convention?

[kentuck]

And would it be dismissed as just another gimmick by the "dissidents" in ths country? How could a convention be succesful under the present conditions in this country? Where would it be held? How many people could we get involved if it actually materialized? Would you be called "treasonous" for suggesting such an idea?

What would justify calling another Constitutional Convention? Outright violations of civil liberties? Proof that elections were fraudulent and were being stolen? Proof that our leaders were intentionally lying to us? Proof that the "press" had lost all credibility and were in bed (embedded) with those in power? How many years would you serve in prison?

[Inland]

1. US Const. Art V

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; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

[WildClarySage]

2. Pigs would have to fly out of George Bush's ass

then again, I wouldn't put anything past him.

There's nothing wrong with our constitution except the fucks who are in charge of ensuring it's application to our government.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. It would either take 2/3 of each House of Congress to vote for it or

2/3 of the state legislatures calling for it.

[havocmom]

4. Always figured that was what the neocons were after all along.

They seem very fond of changing laws to suit themselves and their patrons and they do so with little regard for the Constitution at present! They work very hard to get vociferous fringe elements foaming at the mouth for this change or that change. They seem to want a public outcry to tamper with the Constitution.

Think it would be most dangerous with the current situations of media ownership, partisanship in the extreme, the vocal xian fundamentalists insisting on throwing their weight around, corporations hell-bent to take over all the governments of the world so they can do as they please, and a total whack job in the oval office.

The neocons would love a chance to rewrite the instrument in their image, sorta like the way they have treated God & Jesus.

Let's just defend the Constitution for now and monkey with it (if we feel the need to update the whole thing) later, when there is an epidemic of sanity again in America. ;)

[TreasonousBastard]

5. Article V of the Constitution...

simply says 2/3 of the state legislatures can call a constitutional convention. The legislatures will decide who, what, and where. Usually, these attempts have the particulars listed in the bills to be voted on by the legislatures.

This may not be such a good idea, though. Conservative groups have been trying to get a convention for years, and have gotten close to half the states to agree. They want a lot of the protections we already have "revised."

I would suspect that if a convention were called, we would see major battles over abortion, God in the schools, and free speech being more "American" free speech. To say nothing of constitutional limits on the "liberal" press.

Nope, the thought of a convention scares the crap out of me. The first time they wrote one, the Articles of Confederation, they screwed it up. The next time, they almost got it right, but had to compromise on slavery and then add the Bill of Rights when they realized that governments were not quite as benign as they hoped they might be.

Personally, I'm quite happy with the constitution we have, and I can't see a better one coming any time soon. I'm not so happy about how it is often used, but that is pretty much up to us, the public, to demand more of our rights.

[mcscajun]

7. There's the big danger...

...if we ever had another "Constitutional Convention" there are no, absolutely no guarantees that anything in the current document would survive. Once the door gets opened, the entire document is up for grabs.

I shudder to think of what might happen under even the best of intentions.

[FloridaPat]

6. Here's a long shot. How about the 13th amendment? Supposidly

it was ratified. If that can be proved, I've heard it said it disqualifies lawyers from Congress.

[Benhurst]

8. And who would take Madison's place? Karl Rove? And Franklin's

role as elder statesman -- would Jesse Helms be brought out of retirement? There's nothing wrong with our Constitution. It's the fascist scum who have taken over our government who need to be ousted -- and led away in orange jumpsuits.