Multiple Legal Crises

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, October 25, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. The United States is facing a “double whammy” attack on our legal system and The Constitution of the United States. With so many people coming here from other countries, there is more and more pressure to use foreign law in our courts.

Case in point is the continued push for judges, courts and governments to consider foreign law as equal or superior to laws our elected officials pass. Since foreign laws often contradict U.S. equal protection/due process principles and discriminate against women and children, foreign laws must be sifted through our Public Policy Rule to see whether they uphold constitutional liberties, rights and privileges we have now. With that in mind, Senator Josh McKoon will introduce a bill in 2014 requiring the state justice system to use only U.S. and Georgia law in Georgia courts.

Other legislation we could face in 2014 is to convene a “convention of the states” and change the Constitution. Article V provides two ways to amend the Constitution. The safe way is for Congress to pass a proposed amendment and send it to the states for ratification. If three-fourths of the states agree to it, the Constitution will be amended, accordingly. The dangerous way is to convene a constitutional convention or “convention of the states,” as they’re calling it now. That is very dangerous! While Article V provides for a convention to be called, once it’s called, it becomes a power unto itself with absolutely no guidelines.

And no one can answer questions like this: How will convention delegates be selected? Who will preside? What will be the order of business? Will each state have only one vote, regardless of the number of delegates it sends? Will all states be asked to participate? Will the convention be apportioned according to population? If that happens, the smaller states would be left out, but they’d have to comply with what the big states decide.

Foreign law and a constitutional convention are two critical issues we will face in 2014. Each time foreign law is used, court decisions are less American and, if a constitutional convention is called, the United States, as we know it, could disappear. Action on these two issues will determine whether the United States remains a free and sovereign nation. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.