URGENT: A fourth Con-Con resolution, S.245, has been introduced. Urge your state representative and senator to oppose any resolution applying for a federal constitutional convention. Regardless of the resolutions’ stated topic, any convention carries the inherent risk of enacting radical changes to the U.S. Constitution that would promote socialist big government.
Members of the South Carolina General Assembly are seeking to pass a resolution applying to Congress to “call a Convention for proposing Amendments,” under Article V of the Constitution, otherwise known as a federal constitutional convention (Con-Con) or “convention of the states,” as some erroneously refer to it.
House Concurrent Resolution 3007 (H.3007) and Senate Concurrent Resolution 245 (S.245) would apply to Congress for a convention to propose a so-called “Balanced Budget Amendment.” Additionally, Senate Concurrent Resolution 105 (S.105) and House Concurrent Resolution 3008 (H.3008) would apply to Congress for a convention to propose a congressional term-limits amendment.
Additionally, House Bill 3558 (H.3558) has been introduced; it would create guidelines to regulate the conduct of delegates to a convention. H.3558 would be completely useless at preventing a runaway convention — for example, it doesn’t regulate delegates from other states, and it doesn’t prevent delegates from proposing an entirely new constitution (in the 1787 Convention, states also attempted to limit delegates’ authority). The bill would merely create a false sense of security that a convention will not get out of control.
A “balanced budget amendment” would have significant loopholes allowing for continued excessive federal spending while enabling further expansion of the federal government. Meanwhile, term limits would do nothing to limit the federal government or improve our representation. They would throw out the best congressmen along with the worst while ignoring the most serious problems our nation faces, including fiscally-irresponsible policies and lack of adherence to the Constitution.
Contact your legislators and urge them to oppose H.3007, S.105, H.3008, H.3558, and all other resolutions applying to Congress to call an a convention to propose amendments to the Constitution, also known as a constitutional convention (Con-Con)!
It is worth noting that this is not South Carolina’s first attempt at promoting a BBA Con-Con. The South Carolina General Assembly previously passed a BBA Con-Con application in 1976 (Joint Resolution 775 of 1976) before rescinding it and every other Con-Con application from the state in 2004!
On June 3, 2004, the General Assembly passed H. 3400, titled “AN ACT TO REPEAL JOINT RESOLUTION 775 OF 1976 WHICH CALLED ON CONGRESS TO BALANCE THE FEDERAL BUDGET THROUGH SUBMITTING AN APPROPRIATE AMENDMENT TO THE STATES FOR RATIFICATION OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE TO CALL A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND TO DISAVOW ANY OTHER CALLS FOR A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION BY ANY MEANS EXPRESSED.”
According to the resolution, the General Assembly accurately recognized: “there is no need for, rather, there is great danger in, a new constitution or in opening the Constitution to sweeping changes, the adoption of which would only create legal chaos in this nation and only begin the process of another two centuries of litigation over its meaning and interpretation.”
Section 1 of the resolution repealed Joint Resolution 775 (BBA Con-Con) of 1976. And Section 2 further declared: “The General Assembly of the State of South Carolina disavows any other calls or applications for a constitutional convention made to Congress prior to the effective date of this act, by any means expressed, including, but not limited to, S. 1024 of 1978.”
The resolution, H. 3400, was signed by the governor on July 15, 2004, thereby rescinding all of South Carolina’s Con-Con resolutions prior to that date. If the South Carolina General Assembly and governor recognized the dangers of a Con-Con and rescinded all of their previous applications to Congress to call for one then they can and SHOULD do so again!
The full text of the rescission bill can be read HERE: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess115_2003-2004/bills/3400.htm (READ THIS BILL and remind your legislators about it!).
ABOVE ALL, urge your state representative and senator to defeat H.3007, S.245, S.105, H.3008, and H.3558; and to instead rescind every existing Con-Con application and consider nullification as a safe and constitutional means to actually limit government.
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