One source of security we have in using the Constitution’s amendment process is that the courts, including the U.S. Supreme […]
How the Courts have Clarified the Constitution's Amendment Process Read More »
In 1861, the states held a dry run for an Article V “convention for proposing amendments.” The event was the
It's Been Done Before: A Convention of the States to Propose Constitutional Amendments Read More »
NOTE: This is an updated version of an essay first published in 2013. For a comprehensive treatment of amendment law,
A Response to the “Runaway Scenario” Read More »
by Rob Natelson The following states have applications outstanding for a federal convention to propose a balanced budget amendment: Alabama,
Count of Legislative Applications for a Balanced Budget Amendment Read More »
by Rob Natelson The Founders built various checks and balances into the Constitution. One of the most important was the
In an earlier post, I reported that the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was far from unique: that during the lifetime
Constitutional Arcana: The Forgotten Navigation Convention of 1786 Read More »
The writings of James Madison still offer useful guidance for states seeking to restrain federal overreaching. Akron Law Review has
New Article: James Madison, Federal Overreaching, and Amendments Conventions Read More »
The Independence Institute has published my new Issue Paper, Amending the Constitution by Convention: Practical Guidance for Citizens and Policymakers.
New “how to” paper on proposing constitutional amendments by convention Read More »
Very few people know that the Constitutional Convention of 1787 only the last of nearly 20 other conventions in which
New History of Founding Era Conventions Read More »
Sometimes a convention for proposing amendments to the U.S. Constitution is referred to as a “constitutional convention.” That title is
Why an Amendments Convention is not a “Constitutional Convention” Read More »
The meaning of some of the Constitution’s 18th century terminology was lost during the 19th century, leading to widespread misunderstanding.
The Great Forgetting Read More »
The U.S. Constitution authorizes a “convention for proposing amendments” to offer amendments for ratification (or rejection) by the states. The
The Little-Known—but Seminal—York Town Convention of 1777 Read More »
