Transfer of power in America is one of the most amazing political processes in the world because historically, it’s typically and ideally a peaceful one that reflects the will of voting Americans. There are many other countries that have broken out into a civil war in order to achieve a transfer of power, but America’s transfer of power process is laid out via our Constitution, which has a huge impact on orderly and peaceful change.
America’s founders also recognized that over the course of time, the Constitution may need to be adjusted in order for the country to function efficiently with each successive generation. So, Article 5 of the U.S. Constitution allows for changes to be made to the Constitution in a way that’s lawful and reflective of the majority of the will of the people. The Convention of States allows U.S. citizens to start the process of change in a peaceful and organized way and includes the involvement and assistance of their state representatives.
Article 5 reads as follows: “The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate,” according to US Senate.gov.
Why Christians Should Care
The House and Senate propose changes to how America functions on a regular basis through writing bills (which can potentially become laws). These bills are communicated to the American people, and the people can contact their representatives to let them know how they want their representatives to vote. In this way, U.S. citizens, whether Christians or not, can make their voices heard regarding the future of the nation. Christians can also make their voices heard regarding freedom of religion and the influence of Biblical principles regarding the functioning of the country.
Congress can also propose changes to the Constitution and has done so in the past. That’s how Constitutional Amendments, once ratified, become a part of the Constitution. There have been 27 ratified amendments to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights. None of these came about as the result of a Convention of States, according to ConstitutionalCenter.org.
According to Article 5, the American people can also propose changes to the Constitution. They do that by requesting that their state representatives pass a bill called an application. Once the state legislators pass the application via a simple majority, they notify the federal Congress. Once the federal Congress receives applications from two-thirds of all 50 states (34 states), a Convention of States would be called. Then, delegates are chosen by the state legislatures who would attend the convention. While each state only gets one vote, they can send as many delegates as they desire. At the convention, amendments to the Constitution are proposed and debated, and votes are cast, according to Convention of States com.
That said, any changes to the Constitution proposed by a Convention of States would still have to be ratified by three quarters of the Congress (38 out of 50 states) before it becomes a federal law. See Archives.Gov for details on this process.
U.S. citizens have cited several reasons in the past for wanting a Convention of States, including:
- Washington isn’t listening to what the majority of U.S. citizens want and is exercising power beyond what the Constitution actually grants.
- The national debt has gotten out of control, and steps need to be taken to rein in government spending, waste, fraud, and abuse for the sake of future generations.
- Career politicians have neither the nation’s nor the people’s best interests at heart, and term limits need to be implemented.
There are several states that are already organizing and working on a grassroots movement to bring about a Convention of States. More information can be found here.
What Happens if a State Disagrees with a Change to the Constitution?
In general, states are required to enforce a federal law, but there have been cases throughout history when states weren’t in agreement with the federal government and chose to “nullify” a law. In a nutshell, nullification is a constitutional theory that each state can choose to invalidate a federal law if they see that federal law as unconstitutional. It’s a complex and controversial issue, and when states have done it in the past, it can get pretty ugly and include martial law and/or National Guard involvement. For more on nullification, click here and here.
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Originally published March 31, 2025.
