On September 15th, 1787, the 55 Delegates to America's first Constitutional Convention hammered out compromises on the Separation of Powers, Apportionment of Seats in the Legislature, and the future of Sale Trade. But George Mason, a Plantation Owner from Virginia, rose to his feet to object.
Article V of the Draft text laid out two paths by which future Amendments could be proposed. Congress could either Propose them itself, or it could summon a Convention of State Representatives to Propose them. Mason warned that if the Federal Government were to become Oppressive, Congress would be in Unlikely to call a Convention to correct matters. To Protect the People's Freedom, he argued, Convening Powers should instead be vested in the States. Should Two-Thirds of the State's Legislature Call for a Convention, Congress would have to Accede to their Demands. The New Article V passed two days later.
Since then, Congress, Proposed 33 Amendments, with 27 Ratified, a Process which Requires Approval in Three-Quarters of the States. Masson's Mechanism has never been used. Even Politically Informed Americans often have no idea it Exists.
That could soon change. In recent years the Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force (BBATF), Co-Founded by Bill Fruth, is a group that received just $43,000 in Donations in 2015, has been Campaigning for such an Article V Convention. There are now 27 States in which the Legislatures have Passed Resolutions calling for a Convention that would Propose a Balanced-Budget Amendment. Today the Two-Thirds of States for calling a Convention is 34. There are Seven States with Republican Controlled Legislatures. The earliest All Seven could Vote is 2019, because Montana is not in Session until then.
CLICK HERE for more information about the Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force.
Another effort, Convention of States (COS), led by Mark Meckler, a former Tea Party Activist, and Advisors including: former Republican Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn, Amendments include: a Balanced Budget, Limiting the Federal Government's Power, and Establishing Congressional Term Limits. It got its 1st Resolution Past in 2014. Its Resolution now Passed in 12 States and is also looking at 2019 to have the 34 States.
CLICK HERE for more information about the Convention of States.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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