Quantcast
728 x 90
728 x 90
728 x 90
728 x 90
728 x 90



  • The 1889 St. Louis Convention of States

    The 1889 St. Louis Convention of States0

    • February 11, 2017

    A frequent argument against a convention for proposing constitutional amendments is that there are “no precedents” for determining the rules and procedures for such a gathering, other than the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Although opponents persist in this claim, it has long been debunked: The Constitutional Convention was far from the only meeting of its

    READ MORE
  • State Lawmakers! Don’t Put Extraneous Matter in Your Article V Application

    State Lawmakers! Don’t Put Extraneous Matter in Your Article V Application0

    • January 20, 2017

    by Robert G. Natelson State lawmakers sponsoring an Article V convention application often find that other lawmakers want to add extraneous matter to the application. This may include conditions beyond the mere subject-matter, instructions to commissioners, specific amendment language, convention rules, and pronouncements of various kinds. Don’t agree! Adding such material is both unprofessional and

    READ MORE
  • Constitutional Convention: John Jay Letter Shows Its Power Came from State Legislatures, not Congress

    Constitutional Convention: John Jay Letter Shows Its Power Came from State Legislatures, not Congress0

    • January 14, 2017

    A persistent constitutional myth has it that (1) Congress called the Constitutional Convention under the Articles of Confederation, (2) the convention drew its power from Congress, and (3) the convention exceeded its power when it recommended a new Constitution rather than merely propose amendments to the Articles. As readers of this website know, however, the

    READ MORE
  • What should you remember when drafting a constitutional amendment?0

    • October 16, 2016

    Last month, Citizens for Self Governance sponsored a simulated convention for proposing amendments in Williamsburg, Virginia. I was an adviser for the project, and just before the initial meeting I spoke to the assembled commissioners. My purpose was to provide them with some last-minute tips on drafting proposed constitutional amendments. Several people have asked me

    READ MORE
  • Could Congress Control an Amendments Convention? Not According to the Founders!0

    • October 5, 2016

    As we move closer to holding a “convention for proposing amendments” to restrain federal overreach, naysayers have not been silent. One of their claims is an amendments convention would be fruitless or dangerous because it could be controlled by Congress. The Constitution directs Congress to “call” an amendments convention when two thirds of the state

    READ MORE
  • Simulation Shows What An Amendments Convention Would Be Like0

    • September 27, 2016

    This article was first published by CNSNews. How would an Article V “convention for proposing amendments” work? What would be its agenda? What about its procedures? How would voting be conducted? History and constitutional law provide the answer to most of those questions, but it also helps to have a specific modern example. That is

    READ MORE