Move to Amend Coalition wants to rewrite the Constitution. The Koch Brothers and Convention of States want to hold an Article V Convention of States. Both of these moves are shortsighted and dangerous.

1. Constitutional Crisis:
Plans to Rewrite the Constitution
Andrew Langford (BA, Political Science)
June 16, 2017
Threat from the Left:
Joe Wolverton II, JD wrote an article in New American on January 15, 2014, titled
“Socialists and Soros fightfor Article V Convention,” where he wrote of how George Soros and the
Socialists want to have an article V Convention ofthe States. He added another group wanting to
write a new Constitution for the United States is the Move to Amend Coalition. The group is
supported by Alliance for Democracy,Center for Media and Democracy, Code Pink, Independent
Progressives Network, Progressive Democrats ofAmerica, Sierra Club, Vermontfor Single Payer,
and other like-minded Left-wing groups and organizations. Move to Amend is “committed to social
and economic justice,ending corporate rule, and building a vibrantdemocracy.” You could also
see more on its agenda at movetoamend.org.
Convention of States and “Jefferson Statement”:
Some ofthe finest legal minds metat Jefferson Hotel in Washington, DC on September
11, 2014 to discuss Article V ofthe Constitution. They debated the meaning of“Convention of the
States” and whether to push for a Convention to amend the Constitution. The “Jefferson
Statement” came out ofthe meeting where the signatories agreed to push for an Article V
Convention of the States to amend the Constitution. Led by Citizens for Self-Governance,
Convention of States is leading a fight to getthe necessary 2/3 ofState legislatures to hold a
Convention and amend the Constitution. Convention of States seeks to stop the overreach ofthe
federal governmentand rein the governmentin. You could find more on them at
conventionofstates.com.
The Koch Brothers and Others on the Right:
John Keefe wrote an article in International Business Times on June 14, 2016, titled, “The
Koch Brothers want to rewrite the Constitution. They may succeed,” where he wrote aboutthe
push being made by the Koch Brothers in 30 States for an Article V Convention of the States. A
dozen States passed bills to approve a Convention so far. John Keefe mentioned other groups on
the Right, also advocating for a Convention to amend the Constitution. The American Legislative
Exchange Council (ALEC), “dedicated to limited government, markets, and federalism,” is among
those groups. The Balance BudgetAmendmentTask Force, pushing for a Balance Budget
Amendment, is another among the groups.
Opposition to a Convention of the States and the Rewriting of the Constitution:
I wrote in a Facebook postand another poston LinkedIn the rewriting ofthe Constitution
would be a waste of time, resources, and effort. I would say the same ofan Article V Convention of
the States as well. It requires time and effort to plan and strategize. It requires time and effort to

2. lobby politicians and elected officials in State legislatures. It requires time and effort to take the
case for a Convention or the rewriting ofthe Constitution to the people. All ofthis combined
requires resources to do these things. Ittakes money and lots of traditional media and social
media. It will require travel and even places to stay. That will probably mean burning and using lots
fuel up and probably require atleast a floor in a hotel. They would need somewhere to convene. It
would require extensive use ofpower. Ijustpersonally believe itis notworth the time, resources,
and effort that would be required to achieve these goals.
It is short term and shortsighted. It is an attempt to patch holes in the Constitution and
bandage the defects in our institutions. The patches and bandages would temporarily cover the
holes and defects only for a short time. The changes and/or new Constitution would eventually be
defective and fall apart. The very people who patched the holes up and bandaged the defects
would only attempt to fix the problem with more patches and bandages.
How long would a new Constitution be? How much will be added or taken out? Would
Congress have more or less power? Would the Executive Branch have more or less power? Would
the Judiciary have more or less power? How much power will the States or local governments
have? What aboutthe people? Would a new Bill ofRights be added to a new Constitution? How
many rights will be listed under the Bill of Rights? I am afraid a Convention or a new Constitution
will leave more questions to be answered than would be answered. Ifear a new Constitution would
replace beauty and simplicity with largesse and extravaganza.
Getting to the Heart of the Problem and the Solution:
A woman asked Benjamin Franklin, “What kind ofgovernmentdid you give us?” Benjamin
Franklin answered, “A republic, ifyou could keep it.” There is the national dilemma before us.
There is the question for us. Did we keep the Republic ofthe United States ofAmerica? We are in
the situation we are in now because ofthe people who we voted into office, or because we did not
vote. We are in this situation because ofthe actions we have taken in the pastand the actions we
take now, or because ofwhat we do notdo.
How many ofus know the Constitution? How many ofus understand the Constitution? Do
we even understand the Founding and our national heritage? Could we read their works and
writings, the notes James Madison took on the Constitutional Convention, to understand and
appreciate what the Framers ofour Constitution and the Founders dealtwith and the issues they
debated? Ifwe wish to restore limited constitutional government, the first thing we need to do is to
read, learn about, and understand the Constitution. We need to read and learn about the Founding
and understand our national heritage and the principles our nation was founded on. We should
understand people getthe governmentthey deserve, and we should be the kind ofpeople who are
deserving ofthe governmentwe want. We need to stand united against the bureaucratic
governmentat every level, from Federal down to local.