From: Jim Choate <ravage@EINSTEIN.ssz.com>
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 1998 06:59:45 +0800
To: cypherpunks@EINSTEIN.ssz.com (Cypherpunks Distributed Remailer)
Subject: Re: How to reign the federal government in... (fwd)
Message-ID: <199811252222.QAA31143@einstein.ssz.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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Forwarded message:

> Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 22:53:06 +0000
> From: "Douglas L. Peterson" <fnorky@chisp.net>
> Subject: Re: How to reign the federal government in...

> As per Article V, two thirds of the States can call a Convention to
> propose Amendments. I believe this would be 33 of our current 50 states. 
> Territories and other holding would have no say in this.  At this point,
> if three fourths of the states agree to any proposed Amendments, it becomes
> the law of the land.
> 
> We only need two thirds of the States to start the process, but this
> must be done by their Legislatures.

Which is exactly what I said. The goal of the party would be to get proposed
amendments on the floor each state legislature for vote.

> > The IRS, for example, could be shut down tomorrow or significantly modified
> > via this mechanism without involvement at the federal level.
> 
> I assume this would be either by nullifying Amendment 15 or modifying it
> to a great degree.  Nothing else would work.

That's the way I see it as well, which is the point after all. 

> > What is needed is a political party that has a representative site in each
> > state capital. Their job is to get proposed amendments to the Constitution
> > on the floor of each body for vote.
> 
> Actually, it would not be to get the proposed amendments on the floor. You
> would be putting the proposal for a Convention to amend the Constitution
> on the floor.  In addition, depending on the State, the party would likely
> need to have a member elected to that States Legislature.

Actualy it is. The Convention is only to create the amendment, the actual
vote takes place in the state legislatures, not the convention.

> That is why Article V was written as it was.  It provides a backdoor to
> keep the federal government from getting out of control.

Absolutely. Now, let's kick the beggar in!



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