Texas Gov. Greg Abbott proposes nine amendments to U.S. Constitution

[txradioguy]

AUSTIN - Gov. Greg Abbott took fresh aim at the federal government Friday with a proposal to slash its powers through a national convention to amend the U.S. Constitution.

His proposal not only would rein in federal agencies’ oversight of Texas but dramatically change the way the U.S. Supreme Court works.

It comes after Republican anger over moves including President Obama’s action on issues including gun control and Supreme Court rulings on matters like gay marriage.

The idea would be difficult to accomplish. Thirty-four states would have to agree for a national convention to occur. The Texas Legislature would have to approve for the Lone Star State to join in such a call.

If the convention occurred and backed amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the changes would require ratification by 38 states.

Abbott’s idea follows a push for a national constitutional convention by other Republicans, but most of the talk has been about a balanced budget amendment.

"We are succumbing to the caprice of men that our Founders fought to escape," Abbott said in unveiling his plan to applause at a conference of the limited-government Texas Public Policy Foundation. “The cure to these problems will not come from Washington D.C. They must come from the states.”

Among Abbott’s proposals would be a requirement for a seven-justice super-majority vote of the U.S. Supreme Court for decisions that invalidate “a democratically enacted law.”

Further, it would allow U.S. Supreme Court decisions to be overridden by a two-thirds majority of states.

Among other ideas, he would prohibit administrative agencies from pre-empting state law.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Gov-Abbott-takes-fresh-aim-at-feds-6745833.php

[txradioguy]

It's about damn time!

[Linda]

I didn't go to the link, but from what is in your post I am all for it.

[Boudicca]

I wish!  Every four years we get another power hungry schmuck holding the Executive Office, and their overreach has attained major proportions, culminating in Diktater Obola.  Look at that stand off in Oregon, caused in large part by federal government's encroachment into what SHOULD be states' rights.

[txradioguy]

I wish!  Every four years we get another power hungry schmuck holding the Executive Office, and their overreach has attained major proportions, culminating in Diktater Obola.  Look at that stand off in Oregon, caused in large part by federal government's encroachment into what SHOULD be states' rights.

The type of Article V convention Gov Abbott is calling for is what we need to fix the problem.

It's the same thing Mark Levin proposed in his book The Liberty Amendments.

The Framers gave the states a mechanism to halt what's good n on in DC. It's time we used it.

[Eupher]

The type of Article V convention Gov Abbott is calling for is what we need to fix the problem.

It's the same thing Mark Levin proposed in his book The Liberty Amendments.

The Framers gave the states a mechanism to halt what's good n on in DC. It's time we used it.

Agree. And it's noteworthy that at no time in our history have we actually ratified an Amendment to COTUS on the basis of an Article V convention of the States. Time to get crackin' on that.

[Boudicca]

The type of Article V convention Gov Abbott is calling for is what we need to fix the problem.

It's the same thing Mark Levin proposed in his book The Liberty Amendments.

The Framers gave the states a mechanism to halt what's good n on in DC. It's time we used it.

That's pretty much why I said I WISH!  The Constitution gave both the States and the Congress many rights they have for the most part refused to act on.  Look what happened to AZ when we tried to protect our borders with SB1070, the Feds sued the hell out of us, cost us lots of money, invited other states in to sue (**** you very much NM and CA), not to mention all the southern countries.  We have met with lots of legal setbacks about the federal land grab of state territories in the West as well; opposition has been mounted and not succeeded.
I hope that enough legislatures of states will come together to fix the federal grab of powers they aren't entitled to, but I don't have that much faith.  We shall see though, and I certainly wish Gov. Abbott the best of luck!

[txradioguy]

That's pretty much why I said I WISH!  The Constitution gave both the States and the Congress many rights they have for the most part refused to act on.  Look what happened to AZ when we tried to protect our borders with SB1070, the Feds sued the hell out of us, cost us lots of money, invited other states in to sue (**** you very much NM and CA), not to mention all the southern countries.  We have met with lots of legal setbacks about the federal land grab of state territories in the West as well; opposition has been mounted and not succeeded.
I hope that enough legislatures of states will come together to fix the federal grab of powers they aren't entitled to, but I don't have that much faith.  We shall see though, and I certainly wish Gov. Abbott the best of luck!

www.conventionofstates.com

[Boudicca]

www.conventionofstates.com

Signed.  Thanks for the link; I will share with my contact list.

[txradioguy]

Signed.  Thanks for the link; I will share with my contact list.

Please do. IIRC your either your House Speaker or the Senate Majority leader is blocking the legislation from coming to a floor vote.

One man is standing in the way.

[J P Sousa]

One thing on that site says the National Association for Gun Rights, opposes this.

http://www.conventionofstates.com/response_to_the_national_association_for_gun_rights

I don't know anything about the National Association for Gun Rights.

[txradioguy]

One thing on that site says the National Association for Gun Rights, opposes this.

http://www.conventionofstates.com/response_to_the_national_association_for_gun_rights

I don't know anything about the National Association for Gun Rights.

IIRC they are a small "conservative" group out of Colorado and they raise money by scaring the shit out of people by claiming that what Mark Levin and others have proposed with a Convention of States will take away your 2nd Amendment rights.

It's Ronulan level kookery and a flat out lie

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

I'm in.

This is the last chance before shit goes sideways.

[libertybele]

One thing on that site says the National Association for Gun Rights, opposes this.

http://www.conventionofstates.com/response_to_the_national_association_for_gun_rights

I don't know anything about the National Association for Gun Rights.

Well, I will tell you of my experience with the National Association of Gun Rights.  There was an election in my district to re-elect a candidate whom the NRA endorsed. (I met this candidate when he came to my door and also a couple of years prior to that, by kids went to high school with him.) The candidate has been diligent in mailing out newsletters to keep his constituents informed, as well as Christmas cards., etc.  Right before the election, I received a troubling letter from the National Association for Gun Rights claiming that this candidate was anti-gun and anti-Second amendment and they went on to endorse another candidate.  I tried researching their anti-second amendment claims and could find nothing to substantiate what they were saying.  Soon afterwards I received a letter from the NRA denouncing the claims of NAGR.

Luckily, the candidate won the re-election.  I am not so sure that the NAGR can be trusted.

[libertybele]

I have mixed feelings regarding the Convention of States, which is different than a Constitutional convention.  I agreed that the States need to 'take back their power' and I am all for the premise behind a convention of states; but taking a look at what is currently happening, such as the case in Arizona where the Feds actually sued the state ... what is to prevent the Feds from ignoring, or suing the states and preventing the amendments from being effective??  Congress has become ineffective and right now it is the states and state governors that are keeping things together...but NOT all states of course are conservative and NOT all legislative bodies within states with conservative governors would vote conservatively.  I think the states should come together and unify and make demands according to the existing laws rather than come together to amend laws.

[txradioguy]

I have mixed feelings regarding the Convention of States, which is different than a Constitutional convention.  I agreed that the States need to 'take back their power' and I am all for the premise behind a convention of states; but taking a look at what is currently happening, such as the case in Arizona where the Feds actually sued the state ... what is to prevent the Feds from ignoring, or suing the states and preventing the amendments from being effective??  Congress has become ineffective and right now it is the states and state governors that are keeping things together...but NOT all states of course are conservative and NOT all legislative bodies within states with conservative governors would vote conservatively.  I think the states should come together and unify and make demands according to the existing laws rather than come together to amend laws.

They can't ignore the law according to the Constitution.  Once 38 states ratify an amendment, it's jsut as much in effect as the 25 current amendments to the Constitution.

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, 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; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Five_of_the_United_States_Constitution

Ratifying amendments via a Convention of States holds the same power and has the same effect on the country as Congress drafting amendments and sending them to the states for ratification.

Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 85 :

It guards equally against that extreme facility which would render the Constitution too mutable; and that extreme difficulty which might perpetuate its discovered faults. It moreover equally enables the General and the State Governments to originate the amendment of errors, as they may be pointed out by the experience on one side, or on the other

The Framers planned for a day in which we would be living with the kind of government we have now..and gave the states a way to put a stop to it.

[libertybele]

Thanks for the info txradioguy, but my concern is our president (and past presidents) is infringing upon our rights and amendments and circumventing the Constitution.  I am not so sure that adding, changing or nullifying more amendments through a convention of states, will make any difference. Rather I see convening states to force the FEDS to comply as more feasible and with a better outcome.

[txradioguy]

What the proposed amendments...either Gov Abbott's or Mark Levin's...aim to do is put teeth back into the 9th and 10th Amendments. It starts to roll back the Progressive agenda set in motion by Woodrow Wilson.

It's not going to happen over night or in a couple years. It's going to take several elections...combined with an Article V convention to roll back a nearly 100 year encroachment upon our freedoms by the Progressives. 

[J P Sousa]

What the proposed amendments...either Gov Abbott's or Mark Levin's...aim to do is put teeth back into the 9th and 10th Amendments. It starts to roll back the Progressive agenda set in motion by Woodrow Wilson.

It's not going to happen over night or in a couple years. It's going to take several elections...combined with an Article V convention to roll back a nearly 100 year encroachment upon our freedoms by the Progressives.

Which is exactly why Progressives are ""re-inventing"" our history in schools across America.

[Eupher]

Which is exactly why Progressives are ""re-inventing"" our history in schools across America.

the Proglodytes have been re-inventing history for a long, long time. I am a victim of publick skool and learned that the Progressives in the early part of the last century were some pretty kewl people. Even Woodrow Wilson was a kewl dood. He wasn't gonna put up with any crap from those damned Germans. And the League of Nations! Oh, the humanity!   

[txradioguy]

the Proglodytes have been re-inventing history for a long, long time. I am a victim of publick skool and learned that the Progressives in the early part of the last century were some pretty kewl people. Even Woodrow Wilson was a kewl dood. He wasn't gonna put up with any crap from those damned Germans. And the League of Nations! Oh, the humanity!   

They also failed to mention how Wilson reversed the desegregation of Federal offices and held a viewing of "Birth of A Nation" in the White House.