May state legislative applications limit an Article V convention? Subject, yes; specific language, probably not
- September 12, 2013
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How to end up with Pence or Kaine in the White House: Suspend the 12th Amendment0
- August 15, 2016
This semi-tongue-in-cheek article was first published at the American Spectator. Dissatisfaction with the presidential nominees of both major parties is at record levels, and Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton continue to make embarrassing missteps. By the time the Electoral College meets to choose the president on December 19, the dissatisfaction may be overwhelming. Both Republicans
READ MOREMore Founding-Era Evidence that Some State Functions Derive Only From the Constitution (With Some Comments on the Amendment Process)0
- August 12, 2016
In prior posts, I’ve discussed two key elements of constitutional law: 1. The Constitution grants some powers to persons and entities other than the federal government. These persons and entities include state legislatures, state governors, state conventions, the Article V “Convention for proposing Amendments,” Congress as a free-standing assembly, and the Electoral College. 2. When
READ MORENew Edition of the Article V Handbook Now Available!0
- July 1, 2016
In 2011 a national trade group of state lawmakers asked me to summarize Article V research for state legislators around the country. The group, the non-partisan American Legislative Exchange Council, wanted a practical guide for how state decision makers could begin the task of curing our dysfunctional federal government. The result was the Article V
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Report on the Constitutionality of the “Compact for America” Plan Expanded0
- June 25, 2016
The Article V Information Center has updated and expanded Rob Natelson’s report on the constitutionality of the “Compact for America” (CFA) plan to amend the Constitution. The original report found that the CFA plan suffered from serious constitutional defects, and that it was unlikely to survive judicial challenge. After it was issued, Rob received
READ MOREWhat the 1777 Georgia Constitution Tells Us About the Article V Convention Process0
- June 17, 2016
When interpreting a legal document, you often can get clues from looking at any predecessors to the document. For example, what did earlier drafts say? What did previous documents that served as models provide? Did the framers of the final version mirror earlier wording, or did they change it? If a phrase in an earlier
READ MOREThe 4th Edition of Prof. Natelson’s Article V Treatise Is Now Here!!0
- May 19, 2016
In 2014 the first legal treatise ever on the Constitution’s amendment process was published: Prof. Rob Natelson’s work, State Initiation of Constitutional Amendments: A Guide for Lawyers and Legislative Drafters. The work was commissioned by the Convention of States Project of Citizens for Self Governance. Over the past two years, the treatise has undergone updating and expansion.
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