The Story of Conventions of States in American History
In this short essay, constitutional historian Rob Natelson thumbnails the three-centuries long history of “conventions of the states.” When delegations from the states assemble in […]
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Convention Rules for a Convention of the States
The convention of the states meeting in Phoenix, Arizona in September will need a set of rules. Moreover, that convention will be engaged in further […]
The Runaway Convention Myth: How Academics and other Opinion Leaders Promoted It
You may have heard alarms that if we hold a national convention for proposing constitutional amendments the gathering would be an uncontrollable constitutional convention (“con-con”) […]
Yes, the Constitution was adopted legally
An old myth has showed up in the media again: the myth that delegates to the 1787 Constitution Convention violated their trust—that they produced a […]
A Founder Gives Us a Lesson on the Constitution’s Amendment Process
Among the best tools for interpreting the Constitution are public explanations by its advocates made during the ratification fight. These explanations helped shape how the […]
Scalia Probably Favored An Amendments Convention — But Does It Matter?
A majority of state legislatures have voted to trigger the U.S. Constitution’s most important procedure for reforming the federal government. This is the gathering that […]