I urge you to oppose HJR 12, which would apply to Congress to call a convention to propose amendments, under Article V of the Constitution, otherwise known as a constitutional convention (Con-Con). Please read the following op-ed by former Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird warning of the perils convening a convention: jbs.org/assets/pdf/Melvin-Laird-Con-Con-1984-Original.pdf I don't care what specific changes to our Constitution these resolutions call for -- a Con-Con is a dangerous idea that could lead to unintended and harmful consequences. The solution is to enforce the Constitution, not to change it. Oppose and vote against HJR 12.

I urge you to reject HJR 12 and all other Article V convention resolutions, no matter their subject or the policy they seek to advance. Any Article V convention would be a win for special interests and a loss for our country. The subject the convention would seek to act on is irrelevant -- a Con-Con could destabilize our country and become out-of-control. Our country is divided now, probably more than at any other point in history. The only thing that unites us is our shared Constitution. Why should we also take away this point of unity? A Con-Con could also limit the Bill of Rights, and either way, once a Con-Con is called, nothing would stop delegates from proposing amendments completely unrelated to what the Con-Con supporters want. The pro-Article V convention position rests on a false presupposition -- that there's something wrong with the Constitution that changing it would fix. Even if there were (there's not), the divisiveness and destabilizing effect of a Con-Con would neutralize any potential for an improved document. Please oppose all Con-Con applications, including HJR 12.

I strongly request that you oppose HJR 12, along with every other application for an Article V convention, regardless of the subject. These resolutions rest upon a false assumption -- that there are problems with the U.S. Constitution that can be fixed by changing it. In reality, no such problems exist. The Constitution robustly protects individual freedom, and there's a good reason why it has existed longer than every other national constitution. There's also a high risk of a runaway convention, where amendments are proposed that Con-Con proponents didn't have in mind. The 1787 constitutional convention was a runaway convention, originally convened merely to amend the Articles of Confederation. Additionally, James Madison, in a 1788 letter to George Lee Turberville, stated that he opposed a second constitutional convention because special interests and extreme groups would take advantage of one. Please oppose HJR 12.

I implore you to oppose and reject HJR 12. Any Con-Con application -- regardless of the topic -- could have a destructive effect on our country and Constitution, and should be opposed. A runaway convention will likely result -- similar to the 1787 constitutional convention -- and result in changes that nobody originally called for. These changes could limit our constitutional freedoms. For any amendments to pass, it would realistically need support from across the political spectrum. This makes the outcome of a Con-Con even more unknown. It's highly unlikely that any changes to the Constitution resulting from a convention would be superior to the current text. If you have the time, please watch the following two videos: 1) three-minute video of some well-known Constitutionalists discussing such a convention: youtu.be/Q60OK1LmIKQ 2) ten-minute video of constitutional expert Robert Brown debunking Senator Rick Santorum's claims: youtu.be/RgecUKL6_zU Please, watch those videos and and consider the constitutionalist opposition to this disastrous idea of using an Article V constitutional convention or "convention of states." Please oppose HJR 12, and work to ensure it doesn't pass.

Please oppose and vote against HJR 12 and every other resolution calling for an Article V convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution. There are many reasons why an Article V convention would be harmful to our country. It could lead to an "out-of-control" convention, special interests and other unsavory groups will inevitably take advantage of it, it will lead to unrest, and it falsely assumes that changing the Constitution will solve our country's problems. Please read this article by former Defense Secretary Melvin Laird explaining why a convention would be dangerous for our country for national security reasons: jbs.org/assets/pdf/Melvin-Laird-Con-Con-1984-Original.pdf Constitutionalists all across the country oppose an Article V Convention -- see this short, 3-minute video: youtu.be/Q60OK1LmIKQ All-in-all, an Article V convention is unnecessary, unwelcome, and could severely harm our nation. Work to stop it, including by defeating HJR 12.