Beware new Constitutional Convention

Buried in John Cheves’ March 6 article, “Plan to double limit on campaign donation heads to Kentucky House,” was the main issue of the day and the sole reason that committee meeting was standing room only: the call for a Constitutional Convention.

This convention is intended as an alternative way to amend the U.S. Constitution, but it is a potentially dangerous one where the Constitution and all its current amendments — the First, the Second, all of them — could be opened up for changes.

The rules for such a convention are not well defined by the Constitution. The only precedent we have is 1787 where our forefathers scrapped the entire Articles of Confederation and wrote our current Constitution. Since then, we have refined that document 27 times through the traditional amendment process. But a Constitutional Convention now threatens that work and the work of our Founders. If we had a runaway convention today as they did in 1787, especially with the special interest groups we saw lobbying Frankfort recently, it could be devastating to our rights as citizens.

Covering campaign finance is critical, but this convention is not just another piece of legislation you can tack onto something else.

This story was originally published April 3, 2017 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Beware new Constitutional Convention."