An eighth state has voted for an Article V convention of the states to convene and propose amendments to the Constitution expressly to limit the power of the federal government.
According to Legal Insurrection, Louisiana’s legislature on May 25 voted 62-36 in favor of a resolution calling for an Article V convention.
Florida, Georgia, Alaska, Alabama, Tennessee, Indiana, and Oklahoma have already taken such a vote.
nd while Texas might not be on that list, its governor decided to congratulate Louisiana on what they had done.
A step closer to restoring Liberty. Louisiana now part of the growing Convention of States. #tcot #txlege https://t.co/C6drIGylIg
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) May 26, 2016
Most people are familiar with the usual methodology of passing amendments, first by getting them through Congress and then having them approved by the states.
However, an Article V convention is invoked “on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress.”
In other words, 34 out of the 50 states would have to vote for one. Then, representatives of the states would have to meet and propose amendments — at which point, three-fourths of the states would need to approve them.
The process bypasses Congress entirely, which is why it’s so beloved among some conservatives.
Most agree that the primary uses should be a balanced budget amendment and a restricting of power by unelected, appointed officials.
“Generally speaking (with some notable exceptions) the federal government actually does follow the Constitution,” said Mark Meckler, founder and president of Citizens for Self Governance, which is an active promoter of the convention of the states.
“Unfortunately, it follows it as interpreted by the Supreme Court, not according to original intent,” Meckler explained. “For example, the Commerce Clause was intended to give the federal government very narrow authority. It has been dramatically broadened by SCOTUS over the last 100 years.
“So the goal is to push back against these broad interpretations by the Court. We can either hope for 100 years of Supreme Court reversals, or use the tools the Founders gave us in Article V.”
Eight states may be a little under a quarter of the way there, but it’s certainly a start. Let’s hope that more states follow Louisiana’s lead and sign on to an Article V convention.