Five Quotes That Help Explain Tennessee’s Constitutional Convention Debate

Last week, Tennessee became the fifth state where lawmakers voted to open up the country’s founding documents and make a few tweaks or go even further. Here’s the audio that helps explain what’s going on:

State Rep. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia, has pushed the call through the Tennessee House of Representatives. Here’s why she believes a new constitutional convention is necessary:

The idea has been put forward by conservative and tea party activists. That has led many Democrats to fear that minority groups would be underrepresented at a constitutional convention.

State Rep. Johnny Shaw, D-Bolivar, says he doesn’t believe the federal government has overreached. In fact, he argues, it’s done a better job than the states of protecting the rights of African-Americans.

Here he is going toe-to-toe with Butt.

The skeptics include some Republicans. State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, R-Lancaster, says Tennessee will have no control over what would happen once a convention begins.

Making a similar argument, Rep. Rick Womick, R-Rockvale, notes that delegates from Democratic states like California, New York and Colorado will have just as much power to propose amendments as those sent from Republican-led states.

Even supporters of a constitutional convention admit it would be a major step.

In the most headline-grabbing statements of the debate, state Rep. Judd Matheny, R-Tullahoma, compares it to the threat of a nuclear weapon. He says simply deploying it would force Congress to act on his side’s proposals, like a balanced budget amendment and term limits.