OK. How much effort would it take - on your part - to say something about your own motivations for posting this forty-year-old document here. I'm sure it would be easier for you to do this than it would be for me to figure out what you are getting at.
Do you think it would be a good idea for the American Bar Association to convene a Constitutional Convention? Does that sound like something that would be helpful?
Do you wish to alert us to the fact that the Members of the "House of Delegates" of the ABA were thinking about such an undertaking, more than forty years ago?
Back in 1970, momentum was building for the passage of the ERA, or "Equal Rights Amendment" to the Constitution. I suspect that this analysis by the ABA had something to do with that effort, which (as you probably recall) sputtered on into the early '80s. Does the ERA dynamic have something to do with your thinking here?
Perhaps you just like to puzzle and mystify. That's fine, of course.
Do you think it would be a good idea for the American Bar Association to convene a Constitutional Convention? Does that sound like something that would be helpful?
The American Bar Association cannot convene an Amendments Convention. Only the states can call for such a convention by petitioning Congress. Please read Article V of the Constitution.
Do you wish to alert us to the fact that the Members of the "House of Delegates" of the ABA were thinking about such an undertaking, more than forty years ago?
Forty years ago, we came close to having an Amendments Convention over an attempt by the states to overturn the Supreme Court's "One Man/One Vote" decision. When all the gray areas were identified -- to include whether "One Man/One Vote" even applied to an Amendments Convention -- the ABA decided to research the issue and write a report that could be referenced by Congress in crafting legislation to standardize and regulate the process.
I posted this as a reference guide that could be used in addition to the Natelson paper at ALEC. The ABA and Natelson take different sides on certain issues, and it's helpful to read both sets of arguments.
Back in 1970, momentum was building for the passage of the ERA, or "Equal Rights Amendment" to the Constitution. I suspect that this analysis by the ABA had something to do with that effort, which (as you probably recall) sputtered on into the early '80s. Does the ERA dynamic have something to do with your thinking here?
The ERA had nothing whatsoever to do with it. That was an amendment proposed by Congress; therefore there was no need for a convention to address the issue. The ERA died a well deserved death in 1982.
Perhaps you just like to puzzle and mystify. That's fine, of course.
Did you see either of the two posts this weekend about the seminar on holding an Amendments Convention? If not, then I understand your mystification.
An earlier post - by moi - about and Article V conference at the Univ. of Central Florida late in April.