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And the method they prefer is a constitutional convention — the first since the 1787 conclave that produced the U.S. Constitution. Under the Constitution, if two-thirds of state legislatures call for a convention to amend it, one must be convened. Whatever changes a convention approved would be enshrined in the Constitution if three-fourths of the states ratified them. That means that under a convention, anything goes. I certainly would not want a constitutional convention. The Constitution sets no rules for how a constitutional convention would work. What standards determine whether 34 states have called for a convention? How long could the convention last? The Constitution provides no authority above that of a constitutional convention itself; accordingly, the courts probably would decline to intervene here, as well, to limit a convention ’s scope.

Max Whittaker / Prime, CIR California seeks constitutional convention over Citizens United 1   /   1 There has n't been a U.S. constitutional convention in 225 years, and it would take a daunting number of states, 34, to call another one. A number of state legislatures, including California's in 2012, have passed symbolic measures urging Congress to approve and submit to the states a constitutional amendment overruling Citizens United. But only California and Vermont have approved resolutions invoking a constitutional procedure that requires a convention when two-thirds of the states-34-formally request one. An amendment becomes part of the Constitution when ratified by legislatures in three-fourths of the states, or 38. " Some commentators have said a constitutional convention would give rise to amendments on subjects ranging from abortion to guns.

What happens when Congress itself is the problem in politics? The framers of the Constitution thought of a solution for that very problem. In the 225 years since the Constitution was drafted, we ’ve never had a federal convention. But the idea is familiar within the states. There have been more than 230 state constitutional conventions. It ’s not even clear that the convention was convened in response to any act by Congress. The convention that Congress can convene is instead very different. No one is talking about a second constitutional convention. The inability of our government to act is a catastrophic problem for our kids, not for us. A convention is the chance for such pressure. That is the convention