The Issues, No. 6 - Amending the Constitution

We've talked, in previous postings, about how, in order to limit the terms of our representatives in Congress, eliminate one of the "Chambers" of Congress, and reduce the size of Congress would require amendments to the Constitution. Article Five of the Constitution describes the two methods that can be undertaken to amend the Constitution. In one method, Congress itself can propose an amendment by a two -thirds vote of a quorum of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Once proposed the amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states to take effect.

In the second method, two-thirds of the state legislatures may meet and then apply to Congress to convene a national convention for the purpose of considering amendments. Once an amendment is proposed by the convention, it, as in the first method, must be ratified by three-fourths of the states to take effect.

To amend the Constitution then, is not a simple process but rather a process that ensures that three fourths of the states agree that an amendment is necessary. And Congress itself and most state legislatures probably aren't going to want to propose any legislation to limit the terms of politicians. To add to the difficulty of amending the Constitution, there is a large body of Constitutional scholars, both inside and out of Congress, that believe the Constitution should not be amended at all.

But, regardless of however difficult it is and whatever obstacles must be overcome, it makes a lot of sense to amend the Constitution if the amendment will improve a situation without disturbing the integrity and intent of the Constitution and if the amendment will make our country stronger. Therefore, we, as individual Americans need to assess whether we believe limiting the terms of Congressmen and Senators, as an example, will improve a situation and make the country stronger. If you believe that it will, you need to let your representatives in Congress and in your state know. A movement to make an amendment that affects Congress has to start with the people.