The proposal, sponsored by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM), is intended to reverse recent Supreme Court rulings that have deregulated the campaign finance system, such as Citizens United and McCutcheon v. FEC. It states that both Congress and the states would have power to regulate the raising and spending of money on elections. Specifically, it would allow limits on outside spending in support of candidates, which the Court has struck down. Of course, since the Senate does not have a 2/3 majority to pass this amendment and the House certainly does not have anywhere close to a majority for it, America may need to look at holding the second-ever Constitutional Convention (the first was held in 1787 in Philadelphia and was where the Constitution was originally written). A Constitutional Convention requires 2/3 of state governments (34 states out of 50) to call for a Convention to propose amendments to the United States Constitution. Congress is then compelled to hold a convention, but can exercise no power over what is discussed or otherwise regulate what happens in that convention. Any amendment proposed in this session and presented to the convention at large must pass with a 3/4 majority vote (38 states out of 50) in order to be added to the Constitution as the twenty-eighth amendment. Not that I am in favor of either the do-nothing Congress and the Roberts court, but if there were a Constitutional Convention that sprung up in my lifetime, I would be thrilled. Its not often you get to see true history in the making.
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 02:55:47 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015