In his Dec. 16 letter to the editor, Mr. Randy Grabill mis­takenly believes and is mislead­ing others that Article V of the U.S. Constitution permits the states to call for a convention to present constitutional amendments for consideration. Article V reads as follows, “The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to the Constitution, or, on Application of the Legislatures of Legislatures of the several States, shall call a convention for proposing amendments. That means Congress is the entity that calls for the convention, not the states. There can only be a convention with the acquiescence of Congress.

Regardless of what Grabill thinks, that is a constitution convention, which cannot be limited to the number or scope of said amendments. The article does not contain language permitting limitations and uses the word amendments twice. The only singular use is when it states that “no Amendment which may be made prior to the Years One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article.”

The Supreme Court has no authority to sanction any limits since the Constitution does not explicitly allow it. Acquire a copy of the Constitution and read the Article.

As Grabill wants, a convention would leave the system open to potentially detrimental changes to the country and our system. The safest procedure for proposing amendments is through Congress.

For the changes Grabill discusses, promote and vote for candidates who support the ideas.

Tim Toroian

Altoona