Real Bad idea - Constitutional Convention Act

[WhiteFeather]

Got this one from this bunch that helped sweep so many pro-gun reps from their offices in 2006 election while most of the pay raise ring leaders went untouched or untargeted by this group.

This is such a bad idea, on so many levels and a VERY dangerous proposal to ever let get enacted, and could sweep away all of our firearms rights away.

Do you know anyone or REALLY trust anyone that would be a political connected / appointed delegate for such a Constitutional Convention Act with any of your Rights!



Folmer Introduces Constitutional Convention Act

From: PACleanSweep.com [mailto:chair@pacleansweep.ccsend.com]
On Behalf Of PACleanSweep.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 8:32 AM
To: me
Subject: Folmer Introduces Constitutional Convention Act



PACleanSweep Action Alert

March 5, 2008

Greetings PACleanSweepers - it's been a while!

Every once in a while, a bit of good news emanates from Harrisburg, and
this is one of those occasions. Senator Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) has
introduced a bill (SB1290) to call a constitutional convention.
SB1290's language is identical to that of the Citizens' Constitutional
Convention Act that has been posted on the PACleanSweep website for over a year and was
submitted to the Senate State Government Committee last Spring.

The bill would create a convention with a delegation of regular citizens
(not legislators or lobbyists) who would then discuss the issues that
Pennsylvanians want to discuss - the size of the legislature, term
limits, a part-time legislature, redistricting and other structural changes.
Such a convention could also discuss reforms to the executive and judicial
branches.

The convention would be prohibited from discussing or altering Article
I, the Declaration of Rights. Any other changes to the constitution would
require passage by two-thirds majority of the delegates. These two
measures would prevent the convention from getting bogged
down in partisan issues and would ensure that only the best reforms are created.
Delegates to the convention would be selected in non-partisan elections
where no party affiliation is noted on the ballot.

Article I Section 2 of the Constitution states: "All power is inherent
in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and
instituted for their peace, safety and happiness. For the advancement
of these ends they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right
to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may
think proper."

Despite this noble and proper ideal, the Constitution itself specifies
no method for the people to actually act on it. SB1290 creates the vehicle
to do so. This bill needs the support of all Pennsylvanians!

Please, call your Senator TODAY, and ask why they haven't co-sponsored
SB1290 yet. If your Senator refuses to co-sponsor it, ask whether
he/she believes in the language contained within Article I Section 2.
Call your Representative as well, and ask him/her to sponsor a version of
SB1290 in the House of Representatives.

While you're at it, call your legislators' OPPONENTS in the primary election
and ask if THEY would support SB1290! If you make this an election
issue RIGHT NOW, legislators will be FLOCKING to sign on as co-sponsors!

Three cheers to Senator Folmer for doing the right thing. Three more to
Senators Piccola and Wonderling for being first in line to sign on as
co-sponsors.

Senator Folmer should be retired for this stupid idea so should all of the co-sponsors.
What they say sounds wonderful, what we will get from it won't be.

Its a perfect chance for the big money people to do a end around our Constitution to cut and gut our Rights.

[FromMyColdDeadHands]

yeah...thats a way to backdoor our rights...you know the politicians would have their people there doing their dirty work

[Morel42]

So.. Wait..

I mean, I understand what your saying.. But did I just hear you say that a constituion created by the people for the people would be a bad idea?

Duude..



Of course, i'd be all for it.. As long as I'd be one of the people who are running the thing

[Kenshin]

Ill tell you one thing, those who drafted both the US and the PA constitutions were much smarter than we could ever hope to be. (Also they didn't have any side political motivations.)

But if i got my chance to sit on there the first article would be.....


Article 1 Section 1: The right of the people to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned. This means by any branch of the government or judges or anyone else. All attempts to question this section will result in tar and feathering. P.S. That includes you in DC as well.

[PA Rifleman]

Originally Posted by WhiteFeather

...

Its a perfect chance for the big money people to do a end around our Constitution to cut and gut our Rights.

As I understand it, a Constitutional Convention is their "reset" button. In other words, they can re-write the Constitution any way they want. In the Federal context, a CC would allow the Potomac Party not to pass an anti-gun amendment, but wipe the second amendment off the Constitution without a trace. Afterwards, the "new" second amendment would be something completely unrelated like a special state for pygmy basketweavers fleeing oppression in Bora-Bora. Guess where it will be? (hint: you & your existing home are trespassing.)

Here's a Wiki write-up that hits all the major points in the Federal application. I don't suggest using Wiki as a primary information source, but you can get the general idea:
>link<

"Constitutional scholars are divided as to how a national, amendment-proposing convention would function procedurally, and whether such a convention would be limited to the one subject for which it was summoned or whether delegates could expand the agenda as they might see fit.[12] Opponents of a convention assert "There is no consensus as to whether or not the convention would have the power to simply disavow the Constitution altogether and propose replacing it with an entirely new document and that it is worth noting that such an outcome would be similar to what happened when the Convention of 1787 ended up writing the current Constitution."

[KeithPA]

PA has a pretty damn good pro-gun network. Couldn't this work to our advantage, stack the deck?

We could re-enact section 21. Get rid of the databases, carry permits, ffl's for handgun transfer, and even restate our support against 34, 68, 86 and intentions to ignore it.

[TaePo]

For any academics around, see the book "Look Away". I don't have the author as I borrowed from a coworker.

It shows how the South attempted to reinstitute a new government/constitution. Was 'spose to be built on state's rights over federal control. It could not. It was 'spose to be non-partisan. It failed there, too. Of course, they had a war on at the time and that was part of the reason.

Instead of having a commitee, why not just go straight to the next step and assign a Dictator to determine everything. Do we really have a right to start from scratch? I think the US Constitution hints at this but it should be a last resort just shy of a 'call to arms' against an unjust government, for example.

[pex]

The legislators we have are already supposed to be discussing the things Pennsylvanians want to discuss. The legislators we have already are supposed to be proverbial rich white men philosopher kings protecting the people from disemboweling themselves of their own rights. Legislators are supposed to be of the people.

The problems that we may have are:
Pennsylvanians don't want to discuss (as a whole) wholesome things like the preservation of rights.
Legislators aren't following their oaths.

If they wanted to throw us the chance to fix our state government, they'd add mandatory Constitution&Government classes to every grade of our forced education. A people would willingly be behind freedom, instead of the ignorant perpetuating the degradation of our rights.