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Have you ever attended a Republican or a Democratic National Convention? If so, you've seen the bedlam, the emotion of conflicts on issues, and the power of the chairman to gavel down those he doesn't allow to speak. Now imagine holding the Republican and Democratic National Conventions at the same time, in the same hall. Imagine the confrontation of partisan politicians and pressure groups, the clash of liberals and conservatives, the tirades of the activists — all demanding that their view of constitutional issues prevail. Will the Sarah Palin caucus try to work out a constitutional change with the Al Franken caucus? That's what it would be like if pressure groups succeed in their plan to call a new convention, to make constitutional changes, as allowed by Article V. It would be a self-inflicted wound that could do permanent damage to our nation, to our self-government, and possibly even to our liberty. The most influential players would be Big Media giving on-thespot interviews and predictions of what they are trying to make happen. The original Constitutional Convention of 1787 deliberated in complete secrecy and there were no leaks to the press. That's obviously impossible today. Demonstrations would be staged by the pro-abortionists, the gay activists, the feminists, the environmentalists, the gun-control lobby, the pro- and anti-amnesty blocs, and the unions — all demanding that their perceived "rights" be recognized in the Constitution. The highest authority who has spoken on this subject is Chief Justice Warren Burger, who wrote, "There is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention. . . . After a Convention is convened, it will be too late to stop the Convention if we don't like its agenda." It simply is not credible that the powerful forces working to take away our right to own guns would pass up such a golden opportunity to rescind the Second Amendment. The advocates of a Constitutional Convention assert that a Convention couldn't do any more mischief than our current mischievous Congress. This is false. Congressmen are bound by Article VI of our present Constitution, which requires every Member to take an oath to support our present Constitution; delegates to a new convention are not. Secondly, any constitutional change proposed by Congress must get a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate. A new amendments convention would not have two houses and, until the convention convenes and adopts rules of procedure, no one can know whether the body would vote out changes by a simple majority or a super majority. State Legislatures can start a constitutional conflagration but cannot put out the fire once ignited, cannot control its spread, and cannot control the winds that will fan this fire in ways we cannot now foresee. The miracle of our great United States Constitution is that it has lasted for more than two centuries, accommodating our great geographic and economic expansion, while preserving individual liberties. How could we possibly allow our great Constitution to be jeopardized by calling a national Convention at a time when so many special-interest groups want to rewrite it in different ways! |
