Federal repeal measure divides Mo. conservatives

Saturday, February 19, 2011

A proposal seeking a constitutional convention to allow states to repeal federal laws has divided some conservatives in the Missouri House.

The resolution by state Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, urges Congress to call a convention to draft a constitutional amendment allowing states to repeal federal laws, if two-thirds of states vote to do so. He said it could help states repeal the federal health care law passed last year.

The measure was debated on the House floor Tuesday, but lawmakers took no vote. Democrats criticized the bill by saying it won't help the state's economic situation, but a few conservatives also stood against it. They said the call for a constitutional convention could be used to rewrite the entire U.S. Constitution.

House Speaker Steven Tilley, R-Perryville, said Thursday that a few lawmakers are opposing Barnes' resolution because of concerns about the constitutional convention, and the bill is not being debated while those concerns are worked out.

"I think it's a small minority, but we just want to be sure to address everyone's concerns," he said.

The U.S. Constitution states that amendments can be proposed either by a two-thirds vote of the House and Senate, or when two-thirds of the states call for a convention proposing amendments. Either way, three-fourths of the states would need to ratify the proposed amendments for them to take effect.

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asb 2 years, 4 months ago

If you had any power to act on your sick troll, it would be treason. Thankfully you re helpless, and therefore safe from prosecution, if not ridicule.

online_editor 2 years, 4 months ago

I'm curious so I'll ask. What do you have in mind to take its place and how would it be an improvement? How would your plan ensure an orderly transition in terms of defense, economics and law & order? What are the risks? What's the best case scenario and the worst case scenario for how this could turn out?

justaword 2 years, 4 months ago

I applaud those Republican representatives that take a more enlightened view.

It obvious that elected representatives of the people, as well as threaders of comment, would do well to visit a local high school on a daily basis, and learn about history. Michele Bachmann, a slightly right of center, Congress woman from the 6Th congressional district in Minnesota, gave a recent speech well indicating her belief that our Founding Fathers had dealt with the issue of slavery. Most high school students in Missouri know better.

Similar to Bachmann’s bending of history, our first threader wants to revisit/dissolve the United States of America. That issue was solved at the curriculum course time both of them should have been paying attention in class.

asb 2 years, 3 months ago

A document could be drafted defining a process, but who would sign it? Who would leave the greatest nation in history? Which existing State would be its own nation (excepting Texas of course, and good riddance)? What a lame idea! What a quick and bloody rejection we'd see! Let's do the movie first, with Glen Beck and Sarah Palin as the stars, tragically eaten by starving Tea Party extremists (redundant?) while fighting over book rights.

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