By Rebecca Smith, MVLA Contributor, April 3, 2025
It’s genuinely disheartening to watch Ron DeSantis throw his weight behind the Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) while downplaying the risks of triggering an Article V convention. He frames it as a surgical fix—force Congress to balance the budget, case closed. But that’s marketing, not reality. Once you open the door to an Article V convention, you’re not just inviting budget reform. You’re handing the keys to a process with no historical precedent, no clear rules, and no guaranteed outcome. That’s not reform—that’s roulette.
The Convention Is Closer Than You Think
An Article V Convention of States—where 34 states call to rewrite the Constitution—is no longer a far-off idea. As of March 24, 2025, the Convention of States (COS) initiative has support from 19 states, focused on limiting federal power. The BBA effort claims 27 states and counting, rallying behind fiscal restraint. Together, they inch toward the 34-state threshold.
This isn’t an academic debate anymore. The possibility is real. But so are the dangers.
Why It’s Risky
Critics warn of a “runaway convention”—and history backs them up. In 1787, delegates were supposed to tweak the Articles of Confederation. Instead, they tossed the old government and built a new one. Who’s to say that won’t happen again?
Yes, 38 states are required to ratify any amendment. But in a nation split with 25 red states, 20 blue, and 5 purple, that threshold isn’t the safety net it seems. The ambiguity of Article V—no rules for how the convention works or who controls it—invites political chaos. Who chooses the delegates? Who sets the agenda? What if special interests or corporate lobbyists get there first?
Who’s Behind It
The right is leading the charge. COS is heavily backed by Koch money and ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council), which has drafted over 2,900 bills since 2010. Their goal? Shrink the federal government. The BBA effort, which has DeSantis’s endorsement, wants to force fiscal discipline from the top down.
Progressive groups are playing catch-up. Wolf-PAC has won resolutions in five states to overturn Citizens United. Gavin Newsom has floated using a convention to push national gun control. But they’re outgunned. Big corporate donors—including Pfizer (a former $50K+ ALEC member) and UPS—have backed ALEC’s work. George Soros has spent $32 billion on progressive causes, but this battleground isn’t his priority.
The Mechanics Are a Mess
Many assume states can back out. Fourteen have tried, rescinding earlier BBA resolutions. But there’s no clarity on whether those reversals count. The 27th Amendment, after all, took 203 years to ratify.
Some of the calls fueling this movement date back decades—COS from 2014, BBA from 1978. Are they still “live”? Nobody really knows.
And don’t expect regular Americans to be in the room. Delegates are picked by state legislatures. That means donors, power players, and political elites will be calling the shots. The result? Bargaining chips like “red flag laws for budget caps” are already being floated.
Civil War Echoes
This wouldn’t be the first time state conventions became battlegrounds. In 1860, secession commissioners—political operatives of their day—traveled state to state, pressuring local conventions to leave the Union. South Carolina’s William Preston flipped Virginia’s vote (88–55), while Georgia’s Henry Benning helped push his state toward secession (208–89). By May 1861, eleven states had left.
The modern version of these “commissioners”? Corporate lobbyists, political megadonors, and ideological think tanks, all ready to steer the conversation—and the outcome.
Madison’s Warning
James Madison originally supported Article V in Federalist No. 43. But after living through the 1787 convention, he changed his tune. In an 1823 letter to George Hay, Madison warned that a future convention could unleash “the greatest evils.” By 1830, he feared it could “subvert the Constitution” entirely.
He’d likely see COS and BBA as calculated gambles. Ones the republic might not survive.
Bottom Line
We’re edging toward 34 states. COS and BBA are gaining ground. The path from there is uncertain—but one thing’s clear: this isn’t just about balancing a budget. It’s a Pandora’s box. With lobbyists like Pfizer and Koch Industries in the mix, we’re talking about a rewrite of American governance—possibly without consent, transparency, or restraint.
Madison’s warnings weren’t idle words. They were a flashing red light. This could reshape America. Or break it.
🎲 Roll the dice?
