Op-Ed: Chairwoman Moon Aligns with the Left when She Opposes a Convention of States
By Teresa Haldorson • January 9, 2024It is unfortunate that Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon is promoting the false narrative of a “runaway convention.” Her rhetorical position is illogical, confusing, and raises concerns about the future of the Idaho Republican Party.
Moon’s opposition to calling an Article V Convention of States is counter to the National and State Republican Party platforms that she took an oath to defend. Her position is also in direct conflict with the law of Article V as explained by constitutional experts Michael Farris and Rob Natelson, and U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. These experts, and others, have conducted extensive scholarly legal research demonstrating the validity and safety of a Convention of States amendment process. There have been two Convention of States simulations that have further demonstrated the effectiveness of these multiple safeguards.
Why would the chairwoman of the Idaho State Republican Party be directly at odds with well-known conservative leaders such as Mark Levin, Ron DeSantis, Tucker Carlson, Ben Carson, Ben Shapiro, Colonel Allen West, and others who agree that it is time for the states to call a convention and reclaim our sovereignty?
Interestingly, Moon’s opposition to using Article V of the U.S. Constitution to save our republic is in lockstep with Hillary Clinton, Planned Parenthood, Common Cause (Soros-funded), the AFL-CIO, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Center for American Progress, Greenpeace USA, the League of Women Voters, and other left-wing policy groups.
Instead of dividing the party, Chairwoman Moon could be unifying and strengthening Idaho Republicans by supporting and promoting an Article V Convention of States. However, she is doing just the opposite.
Teresa Haldorson
Convention of States
Conventionofstates.com
This Op-Ed was submitted by Teresa Haldorson. Op-Eds do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of those at the Idaho Dispatch.
Tags: AFL-CIO, Article V, Ben Carson, Ben Shapiro, Colonel Allen West, Common Cause, Con Con, Convention of States, COS, Dorothy Moon, Greenpeace USA, Hillary Clinton, Idaho Republican Party, IDGOP, Mark Levin, Planned Parenthood, Ron DeSantis, Runaway Convention, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Center for American Progress, the League of Women Voters, Tucker Carlson
Here Here! It continually amazes me that with such little research one can find the answers to so many questions about an Article V convention for proposing amendments yet they refuse to do so and instead just repeat the talking points of the left whose agenda it is to maintain their power and the status quo in D.C. Why some on the right are helping them is beyond me and should cause just a little reflection on their part. One can only conclude their agenda is also to perpetuate the power of the establishment in D.C.
I think you are the one that didn’t do your research. Are you from CA?
Just say NO to a ConCon! Who do you trust enough to send? The original convention had rules, they threw them out! And THAT was the founders, not these modern politicians who would be the ones to go. This woman is naive a best, a shill at worst. Just because a sycophantic emotional woman wants to do what her idols say, doesn’t mean Dorothy is wrong.
https://youtu.be/xqfGvpmW8o0?si=4G_lIQTbO4QbxQEt
Ad hominem just proves the lack of any real argument against a Constitutional Convention.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution/how-did-it-happen
How can we be assured that a CC will not throw out the constitution and write a total new one?
We can’t. Full stop.
And a Constitutional Convention REQUIRES 3/4 of the States to ratify their actions. 37 of 50 states. The SAME threshold (3/4) which was required to pull America away from the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution of the United States.
Let’s have a Constitutional Convention and see what comes out of it before we wave our hands in apoplexy over a complete hypothetical. Most of the ideas I’ve seen floated (see Mark Levin) are ideas that would put the brakes on the Federal bureaucracies – which is badly needed.
Just as the ‘problem’ with immigration isn’t the laws but rather how they are (and are not…) enforced, the problems do not lie with The Constitution but rather with those responsible for enforcing and abiding by it.
It is not Conservatives who proclaim that The Constitution is a ‘living document’ and therefore subject to random interpretation on the whim of Leftist judges. Opening up an avenue to change that which does not need changing is literally what ‘progressivism’ is all about.
We don’t need a convention. We need clean elections and politicians held accountable for their miscreant behavior.
We keep voting, how’s that working out?
Dorothy, has a conflict, I believe if researched you will find her husband receives pay from the jbs.
do the congregants to the Convention of States have plenipotentiary power or not? It seems the guidelines for the CoS are vague and undefined as to who gets to represent each state. Who appoints them? Brad Little? NFW, I’ll pass, how about we just use what was given to us. If the claim is made that the vagrants in DC aren’t following it, what makes you think they will follow anything that is passed by the CoS?
States decide who they will send based on a selection process decided by the people through their state legislators.
A Convention of States does not pass anything but proposals. There is no power in the convention to do anything but suggest amendments. The people in the states decide if they want those amendments to become part of the Constitution or not.
Amendments are followed for at least 100 + years, examples: the President and Vice president are still being elected according to the 12th amendment (ratified 1804), we still don’t have slavery per the 13th amendment (ratified 1865), women are still voting as per the 19th amendment (ratified 1920).
If we had 100 years of a single subject amendment or restored the commerce and general welfare clauses we would have a very different and much less powerful federal government.
Revisions to the “commerce” clause and “general welfare” clause are badly needed. Those are among the two most abused provisions in the Constitution and they need to be restored to their original meanings. What we have right now grants federal bureaucracies power the Founders never intended.
In my humble opinion, Ms Moon has succumbed to the vestiges of power and does not want citizen input. She is comfortable in her trajectory in the political elite.
I couldn’t agree more!
Republicans don’t know how to fight dirty like the Democrats do, and many of their constituents have full-time jobs so don’t know a lot about demonstrations and mob politics. Putting Republicans up against Democrats in a ConCon would be like pitting a squirrel against a wolverine. Just look what happened during the 2020 election.
The Democrats should be the ones worried, not you, me or anyone on the right side of the spectrum. There is every reason to believe that Conservative voices would outnumber liberals in such a scenario.
ROTFLMAO….Republicans outnumber Democrats in the House of Representatives in DC. How many conservative voices are heard? How many conservative policies passed? And yet somehow, conservative voices and policies would be heard at a ConCon.
Mr. Goldthorpe, YOU are the one deceiving the people.
Dorothy Moon is a God Send and absolutely correct that a Convention of States would be a disaster with modern day representation making decisions. This view has no association with the Left’s ideology.
Teresa Haldorson, Rick Santorum and the rest must NOT pursue this until such time as the end result is already know, before beginning.
Any qualified attorney and The People know this.
The John Birch Society is absolute correct on this topic, review their information and reasoning to not hold a convention of states.
I also believe Dorthy Moon is a Godsend…I have historically been in favor of COS and reading her article convinced me now is not the time. Why enter a battle when you know you can’t have complete victory and the result will be at best a compromise…
I’m not a scholar by no means. this is one of the most confusing subjects at hand. to even make it worse yet when you try and research the subject you find nothing but contradiction for both sides of the coin. I’m not so sure from what I can find that the language is so veg it would be even worse than the mess we already have. the problem we have if we continue with the mess at hand it will lead to a civil war that is a given. So for me I’m game to tray another approach.
How about just restoring the current Constitution as THE authority in our nation? No new amendments needed; just FOLLOW the original blueprint the Founders gave us.
If we did this, the following departments and agencies would have to be abolished over night as un-Constitutional (incomplete list): FBI, CIA (and all ther intel agencies), DHS (Homeland Security and Health and Human Services), Department of Educaation, EPA, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Labor, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Department of Transportation, HUD…. you get the picture. We’ve been living in an UN-Constitutional Republic for a long time……
Pure rubbish, Chairman Moon knows well enough that at least half the states are in Demonrat / Deep State control and exactly how things would roll out in a con con. It is time to face up to the fact that half of the country has been lost and we should concentrate on bolstering and preserving what is left. Why else would half of Oregon be desiring to become part of Idaho? We should be leading the way with other like minded states like Texas and not following the primrose path to a blue state nirvana.
I agree with Moon! Our left is absolutely deranged and maniacal in their thirst for power. A Constitutional Convention, today, could easily go the wrong way, as the left claws and screams their way by any means they can. Soros, et al, may promise them wealth if they vote a certain way. Are you impressed with the RINOs in the house and senate today? Of Speaker Johnson caving into to $1.6 TRILLION in additional debt without, at least, securing the border?
A COS in this political climate could easily backfire and seal our coffins! Wait for a saner time.
First we have to expose all the corruption in the states and federal government and eliminate it before we open up a constitutional convention. With all the fraud and cheating that has occurred in our elections why would we allow a constitutional convention. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
If history was to REPEAT it’s self, the Articles of Confederation were opened up to make changes and low and behold they were thrown out and the Constitution was drafted. There is no guarantee that this will not happen again. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution/how-did-it-happen
This woman is spewing all of the “talking points” of the Article V promoters because she is working for the Article V promoters! It is ridiculous to think that any politician will adhere to New Amendments when we can’t get them to adhere to the ones we already have!!
Additionally, those in charge of an Article V Convention would be the legislature in D.C. — the States can only suggest — it is D.C. that will determine what happens, according to the Constitution. DO YOU TRUST THOSE IN D.C.? I sure don’t! Bravo to Dorothy Moon. Idaho’s Republican Party is blessed to have her. She’s the REAL DEAL.
I disagree with Dorothy Moon. I hope she investigated her decision to trash the Article V of the Constitution. Did she attend any informative sessions before falling in with the “”con con” narrative of the John Birch Society and other leftists. She has much power to make or break a good thing which good turn America around. I am very disappointed.
If the author recognizes that Article 5 is law, how about Article 6 clause 2?
Quote, “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.”
Since laws of congress need to be made in pursuance to the Constitution, what happens when laws of congress aren’t pursuant to the Constitution? Those laws don’t have the effect of law.
Because of that, why not nullify unconstitutional federal laws within Idaho’s borders rather than waste time with a convention?
Hear hear! Idaho has done exactly that with future federal firearms laws, we should do the same with all federal ‘laws”.
LJC- You are correct that nullification and interdiction are better options than an ART. v. ::Here is what I posted to a friend last evening on another site:: Budget deals are designed to fail. Our government does not allow for a budget. What is does allow for is enumerated spending powers. They’re in Article 1. All these agencies that have been created are not in the U.S. Constitution either. No Speaker can make this budget piece of crap work. They just appropriate more money or end up in a continuing resolution. Over 457 unconstitutional different federal agencies aka The Deep State. Given this current system, no Speaker can succeed. There are some legislators that care, but most don’t; instead, they think their job is to bring home the bacon. The they want an ART V/COS to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the US Constitution. Do you see? It’s an impossibility should that get signed into law.
I AM 100% FOR THE CONVENTION OF STATES, BUT I DO NOT THINK THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT. The democrats stole the last election, and many state elections. With the MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS joe biden has let in, and their potential to be allowed to vote, makes now a bad time for it. Better to wait until President Trump gets rid of them, closes the border, and gets a lot of other things fixed.
There is too much corruption masked as virtuous to trust amending our founding documents at this time. It don’t trust any amendment process until I know that the scum has been vacated from the process. Too many pretend Republicans are afoot at this time to allow the break-in tools of false promises to undo what protections are afforded us now. We have so-called Republicans advocating the invasion of our borders by undocumented migrants that are being used against us. Why would I allow these fakers to begin undoing the Constitution? NOPE. We need to sort the wheat from the chaff before any Convention can occur.
How can anyone who saw how the 2020 election was stolen not realize that the same people, processes, courts, and media are salivating at the thought of stealing a convention? The Constitution needs to be enforced, not amended!
There is zero chance that a Constitutional Convention would restrict the government more, maybe they would revoke the 2nd amendment? The elected officials of today are not interested in anything but getting more power and currently ignore the Constitution as written.
The Uni-party is alive and well in Idaho. Just look at our “elected” representatives, from the local level to the Idaho State Capital, to the halls of Congress, most Republicans are really Democrats but no Democrats are really Republicans.
I say “elected” but really they are appointed by the special interest groups that have the Republican party comfortably in their pockets. That is why there is no support in “Conservative” Idaho for any action that would give power back to the States and certainly no support for any action that gives power back to the people such as term limits.
The sad truth is that we as the voting public citizens will continue to hold our nose at the election polls because we still believe in old fashioned values like truth, honesty and the value of a man’s word and handshake promise.
I was with you until I got to your 4th sentence. That’s where you went Left. You really want to open our Constitution up to be changed by the same people who you are describing in the first 3 sentences? The same people that are too Lazy and ignorant to check voting records of legislators? Who just vote for someone over and over again because they have an R by their name? SMH And BTW, establishment R’s call me an extremist Right wing nut, so it is NOT the D’s that are against a COS
I am disappointed about the way people treat eachother in this country and our state. I even used to be this way but I never lied to my fellow peeps. Now, it seems that everyone is agenda driven and seems to desire to appeal to the ignorant.Would you be offended if I told you people that do this seem to make it like you are stupid? Take theCOS in general. They serve up more vitriol than I ever did. They are only interested in sharing thier side and do not take kindly to debating the issue and some people, based on what they know either support it or don’t. What I am finding out is that most of the people that support COS lack any understanidng beyond COS talking points. They also don’t know enough about learing alternate perspectives that once known reveal the truth about the COS. I try not to speak badly about anyone, I still believe we can have friendly debates but some orgs like COS won’t have any part of it, even Teresa, who I have tried to be friendly with won’t seem to have it. We can still disagree can we not but for crying out loud the people deserve a dialogue not a one sided propaganda campaign. If JBS is the only organization that opposes the COS, aren’t people interested in why we oppose it? If Americans are only interested in one side, we may suffer unintended consequences. I hope I may share a few of those with you here, just know the list is long and easy to navigate once you see them. First off Haldorson says Moon adhere’s to a “False” narrative but won’t get into details. Then she calls it illogical and confusing, but also lacks details, This is what COS does at almost every turn. What is worse is that this “liberty person” seems to have launched general attacks against a GOP chair because she disagrees with COS? This, to me was bad form and tells me that Haldorson doesn’t really think people deserve to know more than the rhetoric generated between support and opposition or maybe people don’t want to know, they like so many would just rather sling mud than talk about differences and details. COS is not a good idea and I would base my reputation on what I say. I would even go so far as to tell you why and let you decide. If you trust “experts” that are politicians and attorneys, you probably don’t know you are being played as part of an agenda they won’t even admit exists. Questions about the reality of this topic? Give me a try and decide for yourself. If Soros was funding candiates in yourr local elections, would that bother you? What if I told you a a group like COS is spending allegedly 80-100K on getting the people you elected out of office that oppose COS? WOuld that bother you? These are several first hand accounts by your legislators by the way, I didn’t just make it up! Now, in speaking with many of them, they now support COS because they don’t want to be voted out? Even if this was an accusation, would it not be worth consideration?
I take issue with educated idiots that don’t know history. There is no controlling it once it’s called and only a moron would try to call COS or someone that wants to open it up and completely destroying it and all the protections it grants you that for a reason they did that. and turn us communist like their BBS the CCP . Leave it be and learn it, it’s not Constitutional rights it’s Constitutional Protection for the citizens and specifically limits what the gov can do. yeah they can pass laws but if they are not within the Constitutional boundaries they are null and void thus unenforceable you all need to quit attacking Dorothy and get off your lazy ficking asses and do the peoples bussiness not your agendas the people of Idaho have had enogh of your whiney little ass tantrums cause you can’t always have your way, they listen to the Citizens of Idaho. If wasn’t for her and the other Constitutional reps we’d already be commie instead of the Great state of Idaho and the USA reps, most of the citizens , Only reason to attack someone is because your throwing a tantrum like a 2 year old cause the people are behind Dorothy moon and any one that can stay with in the Confines the one that wanna attack cause you have nothing else better to do no morals or ethics in the first place all you are worried about is selling IDaho out bucnhc of fricking Nazzi’s, ya can all go to hell if you had Idaho ethics and morals you would not be acting like this
Say it again! You’re correct, only LAZY MORONS are for a CoS.
Dorthy Moon is correct in her opposition. There is no guarantee that once a convention is called there will not be shenanigans by the left in both parties to ammendment everything.
I am also wondering how you believe changing the Constitution will fix anything when the document is not followed now.
Dorothy is spot on. The caliber of minds from the founders Era do not exist today. And even the 1787 convention was a runaway from the original intent of merely amending the Articles of Confederation.
How do people think more words on paper will fix anything?
The 10th Amendment, already part of the Constitution, would solve 90 percent of today’s problems. Where is the enforcement of those words? Let’s do that, before we start a new trainwreck.
Chairman Moon is 100% spot on. We the People have the control over how many terms a politician is in office, but people are too lazy and ignorant to check the voting records of legislators, and they just keep voting traitors to Liberty back into office. So we want to open the Constitution to be messed with by lazy ignorant people? What a foolish and ignorant idea.
VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE DISPATCH for promoting this nonsense and for attacking Chairman Moon by saying she is aligning with the Left. Chad Christensen, you should pull you ad on this goofy site. I will not trust the Dispatch from now on. I also will NOT continue to support ID2nd Amendment.
Chairman Moon is absolutely correct in her position on a convention. We support her 100 %. The disinformation is the usual muddying of the waters we can expect from those who are outright liars, make-believe Republicans, or the ill-informed or just plain ignorant.
Chairman Moon is absolutely correct in her position on a convention. We support her 100 %. The disinformation is the usual muddying of the waters we can expect from those who are outright liars, make-believe Republicans, or the ill-informed or just plain ignorant.