Legal commentators have spread a good deal of ink trying to show that the Constitution authorizes the enormous expansion of […]
The Define and Punish Clause doesn’t authorize vast federal power either Read More »
Although there were scattered antecedents, “runaway convention” claims and certain associated myths were first distributed widely during the 1960s and
Fake News: How Leading Liberal Newspapers Spread the “Runaway Convention” Story Read More »
In this short essay, constitutional historian Rob Natelson thumbnails the three-centuries long history of “conventions of the states.” When delegations
The Convention of States in American History Read More »
The convention of the states meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in September will need a set of rules. Moreover, that convention
Convention Rules for a Convention of the States Read More »
Congress’s power to regulate immigration comes from the law of nations—the meaning of which many constitutional commentators are unfamiliar.
Where Congress’s Power to Regulate Immigration Comes From Read More »
You may have heard alarms that if we hold a national convention for proposing constitutional amendments the gathering would be
A majority of state legislatures have voted to trigger the U.S. Constitution’s most important procedure for reforming the federal government.
Scalia Probably Favored An Amendments Convention — But Does It Matter? Read More »
Americans finally have a real chance to “clean up the mess in Washington.” That’s the implication of the news that
First National Convention of States in 150 Years! Read More »
I’m sometimes asked about the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Their connection is not difficult to
The Relationship Between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution Read More »
The Constitution’s Postal Clause grants Congress power to “establish Post Offices and Post Roads.” There is a fascinating history behind
A New Look at the Founders Through the Postal Clause Read More »
A frequent argument against a convention for proposing constitutional amendments is that there are “no precedents” for determining the rules
The 1889 St. Louis Convention of States Read More »
by Robert G. Natelson State lawmakers sponsoring an Article V convention application often find that other lawmakers want to add
State Lawmakers! Don’t Put Extraneous Matter in Your Article V Application Read More »
