ARTICLE V: A different convention

I read with interest your recent editorial entitled “Convention Wrong Kind Of Invention” and was surprised at the obvious lack of knowledge on the subject.

First, I am assuming that the author was referring to the Convention of States national movement, because they stated that “only 12 state legislatures in the U.S. have hopped on the resolution bandwagon calling for a constitutional convention…” The article further states that “Idaho should not be one of them” and I could not agree more. No movement that I know of is calling for a “constitutional convention.” Perhaps the author is referring to the Convention of States movement which is offered by Article V of the Constitution. An Article V Convention is not a “constitutional convention.” James Madison, one of the signers of our Constitution, makes it clear that a Constitutional Convention and an Article V Convention are separate and distinct entities.

Article V could not be any more clear regarding the power a convention is given. Here is the relevant portion of text: “On the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments…” An Article 5 Convention could not, therefore, according to the ground rules laid out by our founders, open the entire Constitution to change, as stated in your editorial.

And, finally, your editorial states that, “…the harshest condemnation of a convention of this sort is coming from the right, not the left.” I leave you with a partial list of those who have endorsed an Article V Convention: Mark Levin, Constitutional Attorney and Talk Show Host; Tom Coburn, Senator; Jim DeMint, Senator; David Barton, Constitutional Scholar; Greg Abbott, Texas Governor; and finally, Rev. James A. Dobson.

Impressive, don’t you think?

Thought so.

GENE FIELDS

Sagle