If you grew up in the 50’s or 60’s, you huddled around the television set once each year when Metro Goldwyn Mayer would air a musical titled, The Wizard of Oz. The musical trek from the Land of Oz to the Emerald City was a 2 hour televised fantasy trip down a yellow brick road to ask the Wizard of Oz to grant magical powers to those less fortunate souls; such as to grant a heart for the Tin Man, courage for the Lion, a brain for the Scarecrow, and a trip back to Kansas for Dorothy Gale and her little dog Toto (to be reunited with her Auntie Em and Uncle Henry). Follwoing advice from the Munchkins and Glinda the good witch, Dorothy and Toto follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to seek the help of the Wizard of Oz.
Once the road weary five-some (Dorothy, Toto, Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow) reach the Emerald City, the bumbling illusionist (the Wizard of Oz), accidentally launches in his hot air balloon for Kansas without Dorothy & Toto aboard. Happily, Glinda the good witch appears, and reveals the great philosophical news to the distressed and stranded Dorothy: 
DOROTHY [to Glinda]
Oh, will you help me? Can you help me?
GLINDA
You don’t need to be helped any longer. You’ve always had the power to go back to Kansas.
DOROTHY
I have?
SCARECROW
Then why didn’t you tell her before?
GLINDA
Because she wouldn’t have believed me. She had to learn it for herself.
TIN MAN
What have you learned, Dorothy?
DOROTHY
Well, I — I think that it — that it wasn’t enough just to want to see Uncle Henry and Auntie Em — and it’s that – if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with! Is that right?
GLINDA
That’s all it is!
SCARECROW
But that’s so easy! I should have thought of it for you.
TIN MAN
I should have felt it in my heart.
GLINDA
No. She had to find it out for herself. Now, those magic slippers will take you home in two seconds!
Moral of the story: Dorothy never lost her power to return to Kansas, she just didn’t recognize and utilize the power of her passion.
Americans are the 21st century version of 20th century Dorothy Gale. We’re looking for that wizard who will make everything right in the land of the free, again. The thirst is so great that we’ve elected miracle-maker after miracle-maker only to be disappointed by their trickery and sickly oppressive potions. President Obama has taken his fair share of criticism for his faulty potions, the Bush family is growing unpopular with the GOP, and FDR’s New Deal objective is now coming to full fruition in front of the grandchildren of those who bought into his smoke and mirrors under the guise of economic recovery (government manipulation). The most obscene act of all, the Federal Reserve Banking Cartel (enacted under Pres. Woodrow Wilson), is stealing the purchasing power from the working class without their knowledge or protest.
So who is the real miracle-maker? Who has the power to float this Titanic and turn it around?
Well, how close are you to a mirror?
Have you read your constitution lately? The miracle-makers have had the power to regain their own freedom for 226 years. No president can do it, nor can congressmen, nor legislators, nor judges or attorneys general can do it. Not even Mark Levin can do it.
The popular and prosperous lawyer, author, and radio/TV commentator, Mark Levin, is the latest flavor in political movements. 
His recent book sales will surely soften his yacht payment shock, but his proposals are filled with flaws. The reality is, the People have had the power to nullify oppressive government actions all along, without federal approval from congress or a SCOTUS ruling. But instead, the lazy Americans are clamoring over a new book that will make Mark Levin look like a political hero and enslave Americans even more.
In Levin’s defense, who would argue with a U.S. Constitutional amendment to:
Defund Obamacare?
Balance the federal budget?
Repeal the 17th Amendment?
Limit government taxing and spending?
Restrict federal government’s taking of private property?
Require photo ID for federal elections?
Well, maybe some would argue with the last item, but Texans have an impotent governor, impotent legislature, and impotent attorney general when it comes to preserving the rights of Texans. Today’s government exists for the interests of the government, not for the governed. An Article V Convention, or whatever name Levin or others wish to call it, is more of the same smoke & mirrors. Let’s look at why.
1. Delegates to an Article V Convention
Except for the 21st Amendment, all other amendments to the U.S. Constitution have been ratified not by popular vote (you and me), but by the very state legislators that are impotent in enforcing the 9th & 10th Amendments against the un-constitutional actions of the federal government. These are the same legislators that enforce EPA regulations, Dept. of Education regulations, and so on. Texas’ 4 most powerful state officials (Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, and Attorney General) have the full force and faith of 25 million Texans in their power to enforce the 10th Amendment against Obamacare, federal deficit spending/expenditures outside of Articles I thru III, taking of private property, and transparent election of our officials. That’s just the beginning of the short list! Mark Levin would have us believe that if these 4 powerful Texas officials are removed from their authority in Texas and they assume a minority voice in a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution (with up to 32 other states’ powerhouse officials), that the Texas delegates will suddenly grow a spine, and that they will magically learn what is in the Bill of Rights, and Articles I-VII?
What if the majority of state delegates to this convention vote to abolish the 2nd Amendment, Texas delegates vote against, and the proposed amendment goes to all 
50 state legislatures and is ratified by ¾ of them (38 states)? Then that’s just too bad for Texas? The first 10 Amendments were ratified in 1791 and have not been altered/amended in 222 years. If any of the Bill of Rights are abolished or even altered at any convention or via congressionally approved treaty, then that is ruling by majority vote (mob rule/pure democracy) and not through a republic (certain inalienable rights are not up for negotiation/vote).
2. Who Will Enforce Another Amendment?
The federal government and the state government violate the first ten amendments, every day! What makes one think that a 28th Amendment will snap government back into its constitutionally limited scope and size, by recognizing their limited and enumerated powers/duties listed in that little book (constitution) and begin complying with their Oath of Office to defend the liberty of the People?
Government is not responsible for limiting their scope, size, and power. No. It’s the People’s job to read the constitution, understand that the principles of property ownership are the basis for all individual rights, and anything the government does to infringe on this principle is a step toward tyranny. Government has nothing to gain in enforcing the U.S. Constitution. Why should one think a convention of the tyrants will free the People? 
That’s like handing over new corvette keys to your 16 year old, telling them that you won’t be staying up until midnight on Saturdays to enforce curfew, and expecting them to police themselves. The People are the nannies of the government they create. When no one stays up late to police the tyrants one can expect them to break the rules.
Have you ever read the supremacy clause of the US Constitution? Most government officials haven’t, and those who claim they have will state that the SCOTUS has the power to interpret it, anyway they wish.
Here it is; Article VI…
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, anything in the constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding [regardless of any laws crafted by men that are contrary to this constitution].
Interpreted… any laws created by any man that violate this constitution are null and void. So once again, the Founders understood that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. In the American experiment (republic), it is upon the shoulders of the People (not government) to watch over and correct the violations to individual liberties.
3. If Not an Article V Convention, Then What?
If the constitution’s purpose is to define those limited and few powers of the government, who possesses the responsibility to enforce it? Pres. George H.W. Bush was right. 
The constitution is just a piece of paper, without the People’s policing power! Amending that small document that still fits nicely into one’s shirt pocket and creating more words that the People don’t already have enough interest in to study and enforce, will only serve to make it less appealing to the oblivious American. Instead, study that short little book and enforce the constitution we have now, and then see what America looks like.
There are no rules for a constitutional convention. We haven’t experienced one since 1787 when the delegates from the 13 states convened to amend the governing document of that day (the Articles of Confederation). The People did not grant delegates the authority to completely rewrite the Articles of Confederation, but the 
delegates did it anyway, and they kicked the press out of their meetings and met in secrecy. They also didn’t like the ratification requirement in the Articles of Confederation (100% requirement to ratify from all 13 states). So they diluted the rules to require only 75% ratification from the states. Rhode Island was a lone holdout. They wanted no part of the new U.S. Constitution but were forced to eventually ratify and join the Union or be subject to the wrath of foreign forces without backup from the 12 other states. That was democracy proving mob rule isn’t in everyone’s best interest and the Founders loathed a democracy, but did it anyway!
To all the Dorothy Gales of America, welcome to the real world. Fortunately, the first 10 Amendments (Bill of Rights) was introduced in 1789 and in 1791 nullification became another way for states to exercise their collective authority over the federal government without resorting to a constitutional convention. Thomas Jefferson called it the “rightful remedy.”
No amendment will make governments reverse their tyrannical course. If it did, the course would have been corrected by now. No, it is dependent upon the People to use the constitution we have now to limit the scope of government. What will America look like when the People enforce the constitution with their involvement in our republic?
If you want to join forces with others who are in the trenches, watching and working with our government, and helping others learn how to do the same, sign up for our newsletters and our blog at https://ntcl.org/. 
We’re all at different levels in our learning curve but the North Texas Citizens’ Lobby is asking for your interest in learning how to be effective in returning our government to a republic and educate our neighbors and officials on the Founding Principles that once allowed America to flourish. We welcome your participation and renewed interest.
Without your voice, America is repeating the same actions that will render the same results. Our ship is sinking. Will you board the life boat and let her sink, or will you grab a bucket and start bailing? Take that first step and enforce the constitution we have now. Then, let’s look at another amendment.
What will America look like when the People enforce the greatest document created by mankind?
More information on how an Article V Convention Threatens America:
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/14109-how-the-compact-for-america-threatens-the-constitution
http://www.jbs.org/component/k2/item/16638-mark-levin-s-dangerous-constitutional-convention-proposal
http://www.jbs.org/component/k2/item/16639-more-about-mark-levin-s-dangerous-con-con-proposal
http://www.jbs.org/component/k2/item/16640-wrap-up-regarding-levin-s-dangerous-con-con-proposal
great article— Barbara argues a strong case against a Constitutional Convention and gives solid back up as for why—
Thanks for your interest Ann. You know, if I had heard of the idea of a constitutional convention 5 years ago I would have been at the front of the train driving that action but, when I sat down 5 years ago last August and started studying what went wrong in America, that led me to the constitution. Studying what’s in it keeps my spirits up. Enforcing it again is my goal!