Oppose a Constitutional Convention

“There is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention. The convention could make its own rules and set its own agenda. Congress might try to limit the convention to one amendment or to one issue, but there is no way to assure that the convention would obey.”

-Former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger

A proposal that could lead to far-reaching and radical changes to America’s time-tested Constitution is being pushed in states across the country this year.

A well-funded, nationwide effort is pushing state legislatures to pass resolutions calling for a new Constitutional Convention to add a balanced budget requirement and make other changes to the U.S. Constitution.

Approving such a resolution is dangerous for two main reasons:

1. A Constitutional Convention cannot be controlled once it is called, so a runaway convention could make extreme, unexpected changes to our system of government.
2. A balanced budget amendment could severely damage the economy and prolong recessions. Oklahoma legislators wisely rejected a Constitutional Convention in 2009, but the badly-flawed idea has reemerged. Legislators should listen to the many voices from both the left and right speaking out against this dangerous proposal.

Whatever challenges the United States faces, the Constitution provides a solid bedrock for our system of government that has stood the test of time and that can be amended as needed. We don’t need to put everything at risk with a Constitutional Convention whose outcome can neither be known nor controlled.

What you can do:

• Contact Your Legislators and tell them to VOTE NO on  HB 1804/HJR 1018 and NO on SB 53/SJR 4
• Engage Your Community
• Join Our Grassroots Movement

More resources:

• 2009 Resolution Against A Constitutional Convention (approved 90-6 by the Oklahoma Senate)
• Oppose Constitutional Convention Fact Sheet (Together Oklahoma)
• The Con-Con con (Oklahoma Policy Institute)
• A constitutional convention could be the single most dangerous way to “fix” American government (Robert Greenstein, Washington Post)
• States Likely Could Not Control Constitutional Convention on Balanced Budget Amendment or Other Issues (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)
• Article Five convention is a bad idea (Steve Fair, Stillwater News Press)
• No Con-Con (The John Birch Society)
• Senator Coburn’s call for a Constitutional Convention invites dangerous consequences (John F. McManus, The New American)