Section 2: Future Amendments

Constitutional amendments should be proposed by a majority vote in Congress or an amendment convention, and ratified by simple majority vote of the people. This is what equality means.

This will be a major change in how we think about the Constitution. It should be supreme not because it is very old and very hard to amend. It should be supreme because it is ultimately and directly controlled by the people according to the principles of political equality.

The original design of amendment proposal by either Congress or an amendment convention seems sound. The former is likely to be competent in most matters except on issues concerning their own election, and is more likely to add to powers of Congress than to subtract. An amendment convention would counterbalance these tendencies, and the states could organize one without the consent of Congress. Either way, the people will have the final say.

Also, only one of these bodies should have control over amendment proposals during a given election, to avoid competing proposals and other complications.

Article V is repealed.

The Constitution may be amended according to the following process. First, an amendment must be proposed, and then, ratified.

An amendment may be proposed by a majority vote of both houses of Congress, provided that no Amendment Convention is active.

An amendment may be proposed by a majority vote of an Amendment Convention called by a group of States, provided that this group comprises a majority of this nation’s population; that all States have a reasonable opportunity to send delegates; and that representation within this convention is proportional to population.

An Amendment Convention is active beginning when it initially convenes and ending when it declares itself to be inactive or two years after its initial convocation, whichever occurs first. At least four years must elapse between the deactivation of one Amendment Convention and the activation of another.

Up until sixty days before a scheduled ratification vote, any proposed amendment may be revoked by a majority vote of both houses of Congress, provided that no Amendment Convention is active, or by an active Amendment Convention.

An amendment shall be ratified upon a majority vote of the People in the first biennial election that takes place not less than one year after the amendment’s proposal.

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