Us goverment : amending the constitution, History

Assignment Help:

Amending the Constitution

The Framers who wrote the U.S. Constitution were well aware that they could not foresee all the events, emergencies, and changes that would inevitably confront the government of the United States. As a result, they deliberately created a Constitution that would be flexible and adaptable. Many of the provisions in the Constitution, such as Congress's power to regulate commerce between the states, are deliberately broad, even vague, in order to allow legislators some latitude to adapt these powers to changing times and needs. Americans still debate the extent and the limits of Congress's power to regulate commerce, just as they debate many other provisions of the Constitution.

The main way that the Framers created a Constitution that could be adapted to changing times was to provide for that Constitution to be amended. Amending the U.S. Constitution is not easy, nor is it meant to be. James Madison and the other Framers wanted the Constitution to be changed only in rare circumstances, and only when there was overwhelming support for doing so. To amend the Constitution, the proposed amendment must first be approved by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress, then submitted to the states. Three-quarters of the state legislatures (today 38 out of 50) must then ratify the amendment in order for it to be added to the Constitution. (Alternately, two-thirds of the states can request that a Constitutional convention be called to amend the Constitution, and proposed amendments can be ratified by Constitutional conventions in three-quarters of the states, instead of the by the state legislatures.)

 


Related Discussions:- Us goverment : amending the constitution

Polarization, :Discuss the issue of increasing polarization in American pol...

:Discuss the issue of increasing polarization in American politics. How has President Obama tried to lessen the tension, and has he been successful?

How did the five-class hierarchy in ancient chinese society, How did the fi...

How did the five-class hierarchy in ancient Chinese society promote order and harmony? What was the basis for this system?

Success of the chinese intervention, The success of the Chinese interventio...

The success of the Chinese intervention in late 1950 caused General MacArthur to send a message to Washington saying "we face an entirely new war."

Benedict''s rules for monks are the quest for salvation, The animating prin...

The animating principles of Benedict's rules for monks are the quest for salvation

Law of conservation of charge, When a glass rod is rubbed with a silk cloth...

When a glass rod is rubbed with a silk cloth, charges appear on both. A similar phenomenon is observed with many other pairs of bodies. Explain how this observation is consistent w

Show the concept of propaganda, Discuss the concept of propaganda and the t...

Discuss the concept of propaganda and the time period it was used and the uses in Worls War II.

Why is the governor of texas so weak, Why is the Governor of Texas so weak?...

Why is the Governor of Texas so weak? In what ways is the Governor of Texas weak? What special powers does the Governor have?

What was the goal of the european countries, what was the goal of the europ...

what was the goal of the european countries (spain, england, france) during the age of exploration? what was important to the settlers of spain during the age of exploration?

Plessy v ferguson and brown v board of education, Plessy v Ferguson and Bro...

Plessy v Ferguson and Brown v Board Of Education" 1. In the Plessy case, what rationale did the Court use to justify its decision to uphold the "separate but equal" doctrine?

Welfare state in western europe, The Welfare State in Western Europe Th...

The Welfare State in Western Europe The governments of Western Europe created the welfare state to promote social and economic stability and prevent any return to fascism and w

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd