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The U.S. Constitution has 27 amendments; each was proposed by Congress and ratified by the states.
However, the Constitution sets forth another procedure, never before used, for amending the Constitution. At the request of two thirds of the states, a constitutional convention would be held, at which amendments could be proposed. Any proposals would become part of the Constitution if three fourths of the states ratified them, either at state conventions or in the state legislatures.
Currently, 27 of the needed 34 states have petitioned Congress for a constitutional convention, for the ostensible purpose of writing a balanced-budget amendment (BBA). However, the convention might propose other changes in addition or instead of a BBA—even a total rewrite of the Constitution—if 38 states agreed, the changes would become law.
In November, legislators from 30 states met in Salt Lake City to discuss the matter.
- Forbes article from 2014 (mirror)
- John Birch Society (has a map)
- utahpolicy.com
- Deseret News
- Yellowhammer News
- The Universe—Brigham Young University
- San Francisco Chronicle
- KSTU-TV
- The Columbian
- Washington Post blog about historical attempts at constitutional conventions
- The Spokesman-Review
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 11 2015, @12:52PM
As usual, interpretation is what counts.
It was within living memory that having a few beers at lunch, several packs of cigarettes throughout your day, and the better part of a bottle of scotch after hours was considered a healthy practice of working professionals. It was hardly two decades ago that the majority of psychologists considered homosexuality a serious mental illness.
Some would even say allowing yourself to get fat is a mental illness and clearly the mentally ill do not deserve the right to free speech or liberty of movement and should be institutionalized until cured. Amazing how easily the words of the unwise can be turned against them.