by Tim Hancock, Stevensville
This is a letter to the residents of Montana and specifically to Ravalli County regarding this current issue around Article V of the Constitution. First, I would like to encourage you to get a copy of The Constitution and read Article V. It is short and would take no more than a couple minutes to read and digest.
The biggest question I have and I’m sure most of the conservative and patriotic voters of Ravalli County agree…WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CONSTITUTION AS IS? It served as the foundation of the country and allowed it to prosper while guaranteeing the rights of the citizens…until our elected officials began to ignore it. The Constitution is just fine, but it needs to be adhered to by ALL government officials elected and unelected.
I don’t know why Helen Sabin, who appears to be the local mouthpiece for the Convention of States organization (COS) locally, promotes this convention as a “fix all” solution for a runaway government. And no doubt we have a problem there, from local officials up to the POTUS. What makes anyone think that putting a couple amendments in the Constitution will actually make these people adhere to the Constitution? All sounds good on paper and I agree we need to rein in unbridled government spending, secure the border, pandemic hoax and the rest of the crap coming down from above. But Helen Sabin needs to read the Constitution, the part on Enumerated Powers and Article V. Article V says nothing in regard to the excerpts from the conventionofstates.com she portrays as the fix for this run-away government. Consider this…YOU CAN’T AMEND A POWER THAT WAS NEVER GIVEN! The COS group portrays itself as a grassroots organization, but in truth most of this well funded organization’s funds come from a few donors with many sending six figure donations. Ask yourself WHY and WHO is behind this COS?
And when you are asking why a Convention of States, ask yourself if you are okay opening up the Constitution? WHAT IN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED? Remember Article V states “The Congress,” not the States, will convene and set the rules for the Convention. And you trust Congress to make changes to the Constitution? With the current political climate where more than two dozen members of Congress have been indicted for felonies since 1980, do you trust these politicians? Trust Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, or Mitt Romney or Jon Tester? You bet I don’t want to put my faith in the politicians who have in fact ignored The Constitution for decades.
That said, how about your local politicians, do you trust your locally elected officials to represent you? Why won’t Ravalli County officials look into election fraud, for instance? If you are going to put your trust in local politicians, you might want to consider that two local legislators took nearly $100,000 from the COS organization. Yes, both Wayne Rusk and Jason Ellsworth took nearly six figures between them in the recent campaign. What did the COS buy there? Why is the COS targeting Montana?
I encourage you to do your own research on this issue. There is more to this than I realized until I dug deeper. Read the COS info Helen Sabin and others are promoting and then read some other information and make your own decision. I did a bit of research on the name Professor Robert P. George, you should too. In addition to being a member of the globalist Council on Foreign Relations, he co-authored a sample Conservative Constitution replacement for our current Constitution. You should look up and read that one….especially the rewrite on the 2nd Amendment. The flyer/poster in the paper previously was exactly right. But don’t wait too long as SJ2, promoted by Jason Elllsworth and others, is coming up for a vote in the Montana Legislature shortly. Here are a couple references:
guardtheconstitution.com Glenn Beck
renewamerica.com Search: Convention of States
Steve Hall says
Tim must be the best of speed readers to read and digest The Conention of States and become and expert!
Why no mention Rob Natelson, a retired Dean of Law at the U. of M and CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR? WHY no mention of his book The laws of Article 5? The John Birch Society is a great forum of talkers, not very good listeners however. RESEARCH THEM, far right and of 0 tolerance for working with ANYONE ELSE
helen sabin says
Oh my – another anti-Constitutionalist. All they do is complain but Offer NO SOLUTIONS. The Convention of States is as big a solution as the goverment is a problem. The COS worked for the original sovereign states for over a hundred years from 1600’s-1787 when the Constitution was written. It was used at least twenty times in a one hundred year period. A COS worked to get the western water compact signed in 1920. The problem is that we the people stopped using it. NOW is the time to start using it once again. IT works, its peaceful, NON VIOLENT, Safe and effective. The state legislature controls it from start to finish and contrary to what the John Birchers claim, it cannot run away, we cannot lose our second amendment rights, and nothing can be done to OPEN the Constitution until any amendments that were successful at the convention are ratified. Ratification comes AFTER the convention is done . Then and only then when ratification occurs can the Constitution be opened, amended or changed. THUS – Everyone call your legislator at 1-406-444-4800 and tell them to vote for SJ2 – the Convention of States bill.
helen sabin says
The John Birchers are out in force and three of them are in this paper – Terry Lackey, Tim Hancock, and Doug Bohn. The questions they ask here in their diatribes offer NO SOLUTIONS. They just denigrate, demean and try to create fear in the hearts and minds of Bitterrooters.
The Convention of States is IN the Constitution in Article V, is the solution and it is safe, legal, effective, and Constitutional. The Constitution is our solution so why not use it? There can be no-nonsense in a COS as the state legislature controls the entire process from start to finish. Then, We the people or our state legislature ratifies any amendments but it takes 38 states to ratify anything BEFORE it is added to the Constitution. Any bad amendments if there are such can be voted down by 13 states. ONLY after ratification occurs does any amendment become effective. Call. your legislator at 1-406-444-4800 and tell them VOTE FOR SJ2 or the convention of states bill.
Tim Hancock says
Helen,
Here is your solution:
HOW ABOUT WE JUST LEAVE THE CONSTITUTION ALONE!
and
The States can begin using NULLIFICATION and just say NO to the FEDs. Texas has been a good example..
Terri Lackey says
Excellent Tom! Helen spews that we never offer a solution-she just doesn’t like our solution because it makes her look ignorant! Well, if the shoe fits…
Helen Sabin says
YEAH TIM and how has that worked out? DO NOTHING? That is clearly the proper definition of insanity. BUT You are like other anti-constitutionalists – complain complain but provide NO solutions to stopping the government from driving our country into debt so deep we will NEVER pay it off in our lifetimes. Yeah your solution is NO solution….its the way to see our country fail and implode. Good thinking there TIM. I want the Constitution to be the solution and with the help of God it will be. Call your legislators at 1-406-444-4800 and tell them VOTE YES on SJ@ – the Convention of States.
helen sabin says
TIM –
So. you are saying that we do nothing? How has that been working? How will that solve the problems we have today. Please explain.