About Utah's Coalition:
Stand Strong for the Constitution
There is a NEW coalition in Utah! Individuals and organizations are working together to “Stand Strong for the Constitution” and OPPOSE calls for an Article V convention to propose amendments that would fundamentally change our divinely inspired Constitution. We know that the constitution was and is the blueprint for the most benevolent, prosperous, powerful and free society to ever exist on earth.
Already, many are joining in this effort.
Members include Bert & Kathy Smith, Constitution Commemoration Foundation, Inc., Constitution Party of Utah, Constitutional um. Now you can become an important part of the effort to Stand Strong for the Constitution, Conservatives of Utah County, John Birch Society, Liberty Forum, Newquist Group, Principled Liberty Foundation, To Preserve the Nation, Utah Campaign for Liberty and Utah Eagle Forum.
To find our more, about this coalition, go to standstrongfortheconstitution.com
To learn more about this issue, read on..... (Especially note video links below.)
Already, many are joining in this effort.
Members include Bert & Kathy Smith, Constitution Commemoration Foundation, Inc., Constitution Party of Utah, Constitutional um. Now you can become an important part of the effort to Stand Strong for the Constitution, Conservatives of Utah County, John Birch Society, Liberty Forum, Newquist Group, Principled Liberty Foundation, To Preserve the Nation, Utah Campaign for Liberty and Utah Eagle Forum.
To find our more, about this coalition, go to standstrongfortheconstitution.com
To learn more about this issue, read on..... (Especially note video links below.)
UT has a current resolution for a Balanced Budget Amendment. ( We are 1 of 29 states- only 5 more needed). We need to rescind HJR 7 (2015) and stop any further calls for a convention.
(To go directly to the Petition, click on the Action Tab above.)
Many Legislators support calling an
Convention to Amend the Constitution of the United States
BUT . . .
at this time in our history, a Constitutional Convention
(aka a Convention of the States, a Con-Con etc)
is NOT the solution to out-of-control government spending
and the other challenges we face!
(Even though our inspired U S Constitution provides for what is called an Article V Convention,
now is not the time.)
Currently, there is a huge drive among the states to call a Con Con or Constitutional Convention, as described in Article 5 of the Constitution. This is an issue that has been coming before state legislatures for the last 30 years. The call for a Con-Con keeps resurfacing with various names, including
a "Convention of the States" and an " Article V Convention."
Here are some valuable RESOURCES about this issue:
CLICK HERE to see a 3 minute video to learn about nullification.
CLICK HERE to view a 7 minute video - A "Crash Course" on a Con Con.
CLICK HERE for an 8 minute explanation on what will balance the budget.
CLICK HERE for a 58 minute video: What they are not telling you about an Article V.
CLICK HERE to look at a 63 minute video or HERE a 1 hr 29 min video of: Obey It or Change It?
Why the Constitution is the Solution.
Read HERE why the late Justice Scalia opposed such a convention.
THIS ARTICLE gives a good summary of the problems with an Art V Conv.
For MANY more resources, articles, links click HERE.
To find our what YOU can do, go to our Action page where you can join the Utah coalition and THEN ask your Utah legislators to Vote NO on any resolutions/bills that would call for
a Convention of the States, an Article V Convention, or a Con Con by any name.
Tell them Utah needs to RESCIND HJR 7, the 2015 resolution calling for convention
for a balanced budget amendment, NOT pass more resolutions in favor!
(Go to our page: "About a Con Con" for Current News, More Details and Links .)
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN UTAH
2017: HJR3 by Merrill Nelson was IDENTICAL to Ken Ivory's previous bills (HJR 8 2016 and in HJR014 2015) which were BOTH defeated. In 2017 HJR 3 passed through the Utah house, but in the senate committee, the term limits provisions were removed. The substitute resolution HERE was defeated 16 to 12 on the floor of the senate. Convention of States continues and will continue to push their agenda for an Article V Convention. This is a good time to educate other citizens and elected officials on the hazards of a convention.
The following was eloquently expressed by a patriotic friend:
Why I am concerned about an Article V Convention to amend the Constitution (just a few reasons):
1. While presenting the Resolution to Amend the Constitution to the Senate Committe on Feb 14th, Senator Vickers expressed his hopes for effecting positive change with an Article V Convention. And he said, "Let's just take a chance!"
Wait, what? I'm sure that Senator Vickers was sincere, but I must strongly say that I prefer NOT to take a chance with our Constitution. At all. I also prefer to exercise caution when giving others power. Even if I were to trust 100% of the Utah delegation, which seems highly unlikely, I most certainly won't trust unknown delegates from other states to propose and vote on multiple unknown amendments.
I prefer not to just "hope for the best", but instead to protect our Constitution in the case of others' lack of wisdom, misuse of power, or bad intentions.
2. This resolution goes beyond even the convention discussed in the past where it would only be a ONE amendment convention. I am very uncomfortable with MULTIPLE amendments being proposed and added to the Constitution. How many amendments could potentially be made?
2. As in the 1787 Convention, delegates at a convention can potentially CHANGE the rules of ratification required for their own proposals. It can't be guaranteed that they will stick to the 38 states ratification plan as promised by proponents.
3. Large states like California and New York are sure to demand proportional representation. Once they outnumber our smaller state with delegates, the will and good intentions of Utah will be overwhelmed. What kind of amendments might those states want to make to the Constitution? This is unknown, and I'm especially concerned that delegates outside of Utah might have the opportunity to rewrite the Constitution through their own amendments.
4. How would an Article V convention be paid for? It seems like a terribly expensive undertaking.
5. 450+ progressive, big government organizations have endorsed Convention of States and the idea of an Article V convention. I hesitate to trust their intentions, nor do I think these organizations have limiting the power of the federal government in mind. So what do they have in mind?
6. Article V was written and intended to provide a path to correct errors in the Constitution. I do not believe there are ERRORS that need to be corrected so much as the hearts and minds of citizens and legislatures alike who have drifted from the protections of the Constitution. Was there or could there ever be a time when an Article V Convention might be an appropriate avenue of change? Perhaps, yes. But at this time in our country, when so few people understand or honor the Constitution, it seems particularly unwise.
The Constitution doesn't need a rewrite. It needs to be followed. It would be a terrible shame and a tragic irony to have Utah be a party to the Constitution hanging by a thread. Even if some good could theoretically come of amending the Constitution in some way, is it really worth the risk? Wouldn't we really be doing fine if we just followed it?
I would ask that the Utah legislature require of themselves and others strict adherence to the Constitution, but not to CHANGE the document that has miraculously given us such tremendous freedom, peace, and prosperity for more than 200 years.
Summary of recent resolutions in Utah. Three Con-Con resolutions were introduced in the 2015 legislative session. HJR 7 narrowly passed but HJR 3 and HJR 14 (sponsored by Ken Ivory) failed. Utah should be rescinding the HJR 7 call, but instead Ken Ivory tried again in 2016 to get his version of a Con-Con resolution passed as HJR 8 "This joint resolution: expresses support for a convention of the states for the purpose of discussing potential amendments to the Constitution of the United States." (So much for a single purpose convention).
There are MANY problems with an Article V convention, such as:
- 1) Washington doesn't follow the Constitution now. Why would that magically change by passing a new amendment?
- 2) There are many risks that a Convention could be hijacked and an entirely new Constitution approved. Do you know that some new constitutions have already been drafted? For example, HERE you can read the Constitution for the Newstates of America
- 3) While a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) sounds like a good idea, it would NOT necessarily require a cutback in unconstitutional spending. Instead, the budget could be balanced by allowing increasing spending and then raising taxes to cover the expenditures. Furthermore, multiple loopholes allow for abandoning a balanced budget.
- 4) Which states actually demonstrate a commitment to sound fiscal policy by balancing their own state budgets? Do they REALLY want a balanced budget when NO state could currently balance its budget without using federal funds (the very funds money most likely to be withdrawn if a Balanced Budget Amendment passes.) Go to THIS ARTICLE to see how much each state relies on federal revenue.
- 5) Would delegates to a convention make more responsible decisions than a Republican-controlled Congress or the States who might select them? Caution: Those who call a convention will not necessarily be the delegates. The delegates will most likely be those elected officials and others who allowed the federal government to get so out of control
- 6) Why are so many self-avowed Marxists and even Communist individuals and organizations promoting it so vigorously? Do we really want to work with them to call a convention? What do they hope to gain? Note: Even if a convention can be limited and turns out OK, the precedent will be set and next time they may get what they want.
- 7) If you are a legislator, you swore to ". . .support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this State." Since experts disagree and you cannot personally guarantee a positive outcome, how can you keep your oath of office to defend the Constitution and at the same time put the U S Constitution in potential danger? Legislators and proponents say they are supporting this bill because, "Congress is out of control and we must stop them." They seem to think they can control the rules of the Convention, however Article V says, "The Congress...on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments. They say Congress will call the convention and Congress will make the rules but that is not necessarily the case.
- 8) BBA proposal's provide for a balanced budget with such broad exceptions that any BBA may turn out to be meaningless. (What good is it to balance the budget EXCEPT in time of war or emergency when we are basically in a state of emergency all the time.
- 9) We are told that each state will get one vote at a convention, but Article V does not say that! There was some discussion about this at the Assembly of State Legislatures, held in Salt Lake in November of 2015. One of the presenters said, " . . . to suggest that the constitution and article V somehow says that it has to be one state one vote, simple majority, is not in there." To see this statement on the video go HERE and listen at 3 hours and 31 minutes. Are we really to believe that states such as California, Florida, New York, Virginia, Illinois etc. would really let Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and North Dakota have an equal voice?
MORE ABOUT THE CALL FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Has there ever been so much combined effort before to promote the calling of an amendments convention to propose amendments to our Constitution? You can read how Republicans and Democrats are working together to call for a convention in this article: “Republicans and Democrats Working Together to Rewrite the Constitution,” by Christian Gomez. See the Article HERE
Today, what organizations are working in combination to bring on an Article V Constitutional Convention to propose amendments to the Constitution? Here’s a list of some of them:
Article V Caucus
Convention of the States Project
Compact for America
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)
Balanced Budget Amendment Task Force
I Am American
Assembly of State Legislators (a little over 100 self-appointed members out of 7,800 legislators nationwide.)
Restoring America.org
WOLF PAC – a very liberal organization
Single Subject Amendment PAC
Throw in the efforts of media proponents like Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity who have also been promoting the Constitutional Convention from their bully pulpits and you can see there is a “corroboratory media,” as Levin calls it (page 17, THE LIBERTY AMENDMENTS) to crush those opposing the Article V Amendments Convention. Levin himself recommends eleven amendments in his book.
Usually a CON CON is promoted to rein in the Federal Government and/or to promote an Amendment to balance the budget. An out-of-control government and overspending ARE real concerns so the call for a Con Con is currently gaining momentum because those who care about our country believe that only a convention can fix Washington. Many conservatives, even well-known ones, have also been persuaded to jump on the band wagon. Additionally, more and more legislators are being convinced that they can control a convention because they believe that legislators will be the delegates, the problem is that the probable delegates will be the same individuals who have allowed or even encouraged the Federal Government to grow far beyond its Constitutional bounds.
Photographs of Zions, Bryce Canyon and Arches by Paul Francis http://www.vibrant-light-photography.com