There have been hundreds of state constitutional conventions. Meaning there have been dozens and dozens of times where the people of a state have decided the legislature isn't getting the job done, and/or the constitution needs revision, and they go through the process of a non-binding deliberative assembly. If that doesn't qualify, then are you saying that if the AVC is called today, somehow no one who has any good arguments would show up? No one today would know what to propose based on what we know at this late date? The clowns at MTA know we need an amendment to reverse CU, but they can't recognize that their proposed amendment is too wordy, would never get ratified, and doesn't even address the problem itself.
I have taken a federal suit to the USSC regarding this, so yes, I'm well aware of things of that nature.
What you can't get your head around, apparently, is that it doesn't matter what the USSC or the Congress or POTUS say the Constitution means, it only matters what the people say it means, and as soon as we reach the tipping point the PTB will play dumb and dance out of the way.
My choice of words, were another way of saying you're part of the problem. In your bubble you're a hip progressive person, but in reality you're just another [beep] who thinks they know what they're talking about. Sometimes it takes a certain amount of genius to change one's mind. At present you're saying you're more afraid of a national town hall than a Congress drowned in corporate money.