Resolution Opposing an Article V Convention of States

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land and has served as the foundation of our Republic for over two centuries; and

WHEREAS, Article V of the Constitution provides for a convention to propose amendments upon the application of two-thirds of the state legislatures, but does not provide clear rules or limitations on the scope, delegate selection, or ratification process of such a convention; and

WHEREAS, historical precedent, including the 1787 Constitutional Convention, demonstrates that such conventions can exceed their original mandate and fundamentally alter the structure of government; and

WHEREAS, the Michigan Legislature has previously considered applications for an Article V Convention, and continued pressure from national organizations threatens to revive such efforts; and

WHEREAS, the Washtenaw County Republican Party affirms its commitment to constitutional fidelity, limited government, and the protection of individual liberties; and

WHEREAS, Founding Father James Madison, in his November 2, 1788 letter to George Lee Turberville, warned that calling another general convention would be “courted by the most violent partizans,” would “no doubt contain individuals of insidious views,” and would give them “a dangerous opportunity of sapping the very foundations of the fabric,” thereby risking discord and harm to the Constitution; and

WHEREAS, Madison and other Founders advocated for state interposition, nullification, and electoral accountability as the proper remedies for federal overreach—not structural amendments through a national convention; and

WHEREAS, Convention of States proponents, including Mark Levin and Mark Meckler, have misrepresented Madison’s views, suggesting he supported Article V conventions, when in fact his writings reveal deep skepticism toward such efforts; and

WHEREAS, proponents of an Article V Convention of States claim that any such convention would be limited to the commissions issued by state legislatures, and further claim that judicial action could be used to enforce such limits; however, extensive historical documentation and legal precedent demonstrate that no court has ever upheld such limitations, and that conventions—both historically and in binding case law—are recognized as assemblies representing the sovereign power of the people, not the states, and thus cannot be legally constrained or restricted by state-imposed mandates or instructions, as affirmed by multiple state supreme court decisions (including Mississippi, Iowa, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas), Constitutional Convention records, and authoritative legal summaries such as Corpus Juris Secundum, all of which establish that a ‘limited’ convention is a myth and that delegates, once convened, may exercise full sovereign authority beyond legislative control.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

1. That the Washtenaw County Republican Party (WCGOP), by and through the Executive Committee, opposes any application by the Michigan Legislature for an Article V Convention of States;
2. That the WCGOP calls upon the District 6 Republican Committee to adopt this resolution and join us in urging the Michigan Legislature to reject any and all efforts to convene an Article V Convention;
3. That the WCGOP calls upon the Michigan Republican Party (MIGOP) to adopt this resolution and to urge all Republican members of the Michigan Legislature to reject any and all efforts to convene an Article V Convention;
4. That the WCGOP urges the Michigan Republican Party to formally submit this resolution to the Republican National Committee (RNC) for consideration and adoption as part of the national platform, thereby encouraging all 50 state Republican parties and legislatures to oppose any call for an Article V Convention;
5. That the WCGOP encourages alternative constitutional remedies to federal overreach, including:
   • State nullification of unconstitutional federal laws;
   • Enforcement of the Tenth Amendment to preserve state sovereignty;
   • Civic education and electoral engagement to restore constitutional governance through the ballot box;
6. That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the District 6 Republican Committee, the Michigan Republican Party, the Republican National Committee, all Republican members of the Michigan Legislature, and the chairs of all county Republican parties in the state of Michigan.