Larry Lessig: The amendment by convention movement is not characterized by a Left-Right divide. The drive for the proposal of a balanced budget amendment by convention is only one important part of a growing movement. In fact, proposals for term limits, ending log-rolling, and curtailing the influence of big money in elections are all under consideration in state capitols across the country. Like the ballot measure process utilized by citizens to effect reform in many states, the Article V convention process is simply a vehicle for reform that Congress itself can’t control — one that can spark fundamental changes in federal policy, and that can be tuned in advance to specific proposals for reform. It is a procedure, not a party platform. It is open to reformers from all sides. Despite the fear-mongering, and especially if the states use a “compact” to agree in advance on how the process would work, a serious case can no longer be made that a convention would run wild.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 12:02:01 +0000
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