Phyllis Schlafly, RIP
I extend my sincere condolences for the death of Phyllis Schlafly to her family and followers. Mrs. Schlafly could rise to greatness. Her book, A Choice Not An Echo, became a standard of the conservative movement. Her successful campaign against the poorly drafted “Equal Rights Amendment” was a classic instance of how a single individual […]
Statement by Rob Natelson on the “Compact for America’s” Latest Attack
The authors affiliated with the Compact for America (CFA) would have us believe that states may use their ordinary law-making power to reduce the Constitution’s extended five-step amendment procedure to two steps, and that the courts will meekly acquiesce. Common sense tells us that the courts are unlikely to do so. The conclusion of common […]
The 37th “Convention of States” Discovered!
Recently a professor teaching constitutional law at a prestigious university wrote in one of the nation’s top newspapers that we should oppose an Article V convention of states in part because the 1787 Constitutional Convention is “the only precedent we have.” As occurs too often among law professors, he obviously had not researched the subject […]
Convention Rules from the “Assembly of State Legislatures:” Two Cheers Only
This posting was updated on Jan. 18, 2023. In June, 2016 the Assembly of State Legislatures (ASL), a planning group of state lawmakers (now apparently defunct), issued suggested rules for an Article V Convention for Proposing Amendments. The rules were a commendable effort. But they also fell short in a number of ways, partly because […]
How to end up with Pence or Kaine in the White House: Suspend the 12th Amendment
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 […]
Rob and “The Original Constitution”
Rob discusses why he wrote his popular book, The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant, in this Independence Institute Freedom Minute.
The Supreme Court’s Latest Abortion Decision: More Confusion and Incoherence
The anti-democratic incoherence in the Supreme Court’s latest abortion decision makes one wonder just how much longer the American people are going to stand for this sort of thing. In the wake of a horrific Pennsylvania abortion scandal, several states passed laws toughening restrictions on abortion providers. Among those states was Texas. One provision of […]
Three New Supreme Court Cases Show in Some Areas, the Constitution No Longer Matters
Note: This article originally appeared at CNS News. An earlier version included unauthorized editing and should be disregarded. Three recent Supreme Court decisions reveal in the area of personal rights, most of the justices are applying rules unrelated to the U.S. Constitution. In two of the cases, the majority refused to protect rights expressly laid […]
Abolish the Filibuster? Maybe We Should
Should freedom advocates support the U.S. Senate’s “filibuster” rule? The traditional answer has been “yes.” But we might want to take another look. The Senate’s filibuster system allows individual Senators to block legislative action by making long speeches (i.e., “filibuster”) on the floor. When several Senators take turns speaking, they can block legislative action indefinitely. […]
New Edition of the Article V Handbook Now Available!
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 […]
Restoring ‘Diversity’ To The Supreme Court
This article originally appeared in the Daily Caller. Liberals talk a great deal about “diversity” these days, so it is ironic that so many have lined up in favor of President Barack Obama’s pick for the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland. On important measures, Garland would render the Court less diverse than it is now. One […]
Report on the Constitutionality of the “Compact for America” Plan Expanded
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 […]
