Why Hasn't There Been Another Constitutional Convention?

Bill Trower is a friend of mine so I knew he was working on this book but I was not quite prepared for it when it arrived. I read it, of course, and posted a review of it on Amazon and that would have been the extent of my interest in it but for what I learned from it.

Here is a copy of my review.
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This book was a surprise to me although I knew it was coming.

I know Bill Trower (Lt/Col William W. Trower,. U.S.A.F., Retired – but he prefers “Bill”) and knew he was working on this but was not prepared for what I learned from it.

I have never been especially interested in the process to amend our Constitution – I like it just the way it is; but I am interested in term limits for congress, a balanced federal budget, less interference from Washington with States and individuals and other things promised in the old “Contract with America” from back in ’94.

Some of these things are not legal without a constitutional amendment but are favored by a large percentage of voters across the nation.

The government belongs to the people (of the people, by the people, for the people – remember?) so it would seem that when a significant majority of us want things done a certain way – we could just “make it happen”” – but we can’t. The reason we can’t is congressional opposition.

Term limits, for example, are favored by a majority of us but not by a majority in Congress – and the reason is obvious – congress don’t want it to happen.

Our Constitution provides a way for us (we the people) to pass an amendment in spite of congress but we have never done it. When an amendment has been passed it was something proposed by congress and finally approved by a sufficient number of the states. The other way is almost the reverse of this and gives us a way to pass something that most of us want even if it is not popular in congress. Using this process the a sufficient number of the states request a convention to consider a particular question congress is required to call the convention. Why has it never happened even once in our entire history?

From page six of this surprising book:

“Since 1963 we’ve had over 150 applications from states for a federal constitutional convention. However, Congress has passed rules/procedures, which make those applications virtually ineffective. Congress has assured itself of being the only means of proposing constitutional change. I would like to see the states assert their powers in the amendment process and I have suggestions, which should circumvent those procedural “road blocks” being used by Congress.”

Bill does not pretend that this book is any sort of “Final answer” to how we can take control of our government again – but it does help us to understand the problem. It helps us to formulate the questions that will turn us down the road that may lead to solutions – and we may be surprised at how much help we find right between its covers!

I recommend it to one and all!