Malcolm Rivera
Amending the US Constitution has always been a difficult task, with only 27 amendments ratified out of 11,848-12,000 proposals since its creation 235 years ago. The process is designed to be challenging, requiring a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures. The high bar for passing amendments protects the will of the people and acts as a safeguard against partisanship. However, the increasing partisanship and political fracture in recent times have made the process even more arduous, with the pace of amendment decelerating significantly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of attempts to amend | 11,848-12,000 |
| Number of successful amendments | 27 |
| Success rate | 0.002% |
| Last successful amendment | 27th Amendment in 1992 |
| Difficulty level | Very difficult |
| Need for change | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
The US Constitution is the world's most difficult to amend
The US Constitution is notoriously difficult to amend, with some even claiming that it is the world's most difficult constitution to alter. In over two centuries, there have been roughly 12,000 attempts to amend the document, yet only 27 amendments have been ratified, a success rate of 0.002%.
The US Constitution was drafted in 1787 and, since then, has only been amended 27 times. The last ratified amendment was the 27th Amendment in 1992, which stated that no law could affect the compensation for the services of Senators and Representatives until after an election. The pace of amendment has slowed considerably over time.
The reasons for this are varied. Firstly, the process of amending the Constitution is long and arduous. An amendment must be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures. Even if an amendment is proposed, it must then be ratified by legislatures or conventions in three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50). This high threshold requires bipartisan support, which is increasingly difficult to achieve in a highly partisan political climate. The more partisan the US becomes, the harder it is to amend the Constitution, as parties are less likely to cooperate.
Some argue that the Constitution's rigidity protects "the will of the people" and acts as a safeguard against the partisanship that sways Congress. However, others see it as a cause for concern, particularly when it comes to issues of democratic reform. Many proposed amendments that would make the Constitution more equal, inclusive, and just have failed to make it beyond the initial proposal stage.
The difficulty in amending the Constitution has led to suggestions of holding a new Constitutional Convention, though this idea is controversial and has never been put into practice. Ultimately, while the US Constitution is intentionally challenging to amend, some argue that the current level of difficulty may be detrimental to the future of democracy in the country.
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The US Constitution has been amended only 27 times since 1787
The US Constitution is widely considered to be the world's most difficult constitution to amend. Since its creation in 1787, it has been amended only 27 times, with the last amendment being ratified in 1992. This is an extraordinarily low rate of success, with approximately 11,848–12,000 amendment proposals put forward over 235 years, according to various sources.
The US Constitution's Article V outlines a challenging path to amendment. An amendment must be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures. For an amendment to be ratified, legislatures or conventions in three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50) must approve it. This process requires significant bipartisan support, agreement, and time, and it has become even more challenging due to increasing political partisanship.
The high bar for passing amendments is intended to protect "the will of the people" and safeguard against impulsive changes to the nation's fundamental governing document. However, the rigidity of the US Constitution has made it challenging to address outdated provisions and urgent reforms. Some commentators argue that the difficulty in amending the Constitution has hindered efforts to make it more equal, inclusive, and just.
Despite the low success rate of constitutional amendments, proponents of change continue to pursue them. Various recent proposals have aimed to address issues such as congressional term limits, a balanced budget amendment, and the expansion or restriction of the Supreme Court. While the process of amending the Constitution is deliberately arduous, some scholars suggest that the current level of difficulty may be cause for concern, hindering necessary democratic reforms.
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Amending the US Constitution requires bipartisan support
Amending the US Constitution has always been a difficult task, and it has only become more challenging over time. The Constitution has been amended only 27 times since it was drafted in 1787, with the last ratified amendment being the 27th Amendment in 1992. This amendment process, outlined in Article V of the Constitution, requires significant bipartisan support, which has become increasingly elusive in the country's polarized political climate.
According to Article V, an amendment must be proposed either by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures. This already sets a high bar for achieving bipartisan support, and the process becomes even more challenging in the next step. For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by legislatures or conventions in three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50 states).
The difficulty of achieving the required bipartisan support at both the federal and state levels is evident in the low success rate of proposed amendments. Since its creation, there have been approximately 11,848 to 12,000 attempts to amend the Constitution, yet only 27 amendments have been successfully ratified. This equates to a success rate of 0.002% or a 27-in-11,000 chance. The pace of amendment has also decelerated over time, indicating that it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure the necessary bipartisan consensus.
The highly partisan nature of US politics today further exacerbates the challenge of amending the Constitution. As the country becomes more divided along party lines, it becomes harder for amendments to gain the necessary support from both sides. This dynamic is reflected in the assessment that the current political climate is one of hyper partisanship, making it even less likely for an amendment to garner the required level of bipartisan agreement.
Despite the difficulty, proponents of amendments continue to pursue their efforts. Various topics have been the subject of recent amendment proposals, including congressional term limits, a balanced budget amendment, and the expansion or restriction of the Supreme Court. While these proposals address significant issues, the challenge of achieving the required bipartisan support remains a significant obstacle to their success.
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A constitutional convention has never been called
The United States Constitution is notoriously difficult to amend, with a success rate of around 0.002%. The last successful amendment was in 1992, and the pace of amendments has slowed considerably over time.
A Constitutional Convention, as outlined in Article V, is one way to propose an amendment. This involves two-thirds of state legislatures calling for a convention. While there have been hundreds of calls for a convention on a variety of subjects, none have been successful to date. The requirement for two-thirds of states to agree makes it difficult to reach the threshold, especially in the current political climate of hyper-partisanship.
The lack of success in calling a Constitutional Convention is concerning to some, as it means that certain reforms seen as urgent cannot be achieved through the conventional avenues of Article V. This has led to a discussion about how America can improve its democratic procedures if it cannot make changes through the usual channels.
Some argue that the Constitution's rigidity protects "the will of the people" and acts as a safeguard against partisanship in Congress. However, others believe that the difficulty in amending the Constitution is cause for alarm, as it prevents necessary changes from being made.
While there have been no successful calls for a Constitutional Convention, it is important to note that there have been other avenues for constitutional reform, such as through judicial interpretation and reinterpretation. Nonetheless, the overall process of amending the Constitution remains challenging and has become even more difficult over time due to increasing political polarization.
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The US Constitution has not been amended since 1992
The US Constitution, established in 1789, is widely considered to be the world's most difficult constitution to amend. The last successful amendment to the Constitution was the 27th Amendment in 1992, which states that "No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened." Since then, there have been no amendments to the Constitution, despite numerous attempts at reform.
The process of amending the US Constitution is outlined in Article Five of the Constitution, which details a two-step process requiring proper proposal and ratification. An amendment can be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of state legislatures. For an amendment to become part of the Constitution, it must be ratified by legislatures or conventions in three-fourths of the states (38 out of 50 states).
This rigorous process has resulted in a low rate of successful amendments. Out of thousands of amendment proposals since its creation, only 27 have been officially ratified, with none in the last three decades. The pace of amendment has slowed significantly over time, indicating that it has become increasingly challenging to amend the Constitution.
The difficulty of amending the Constitution has raised concerns among democratic reformers, who have proposed amendments to make the Constitution more equal, inclusive, and just. However, these efforts have faced significant obstacles, with few proposals advancing beyond their initial stages. The current dynamics of American constitutional politics suggest that the trend of amendment resistance is likely to continue in the near to mid-term future.
The challenges associated with amending the US Constitution have prompted discussions and debates among scholars, politicians, and citizens. While some view the rigidity of the Constitution as a cause for alarm, others suggest that it is hard, but not impossible to change. Despite the difficulties, proponents of amendments remain undeterred, continuing to pursue reforms to address pressing issues and adapt to changing societal needs.
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Frequently asked questions
27 times.
There have been roughly 12,000 attempts to amend the Constitution since its creation 235 years ago.
Amending the US Constitution has always been difficult. The Constitution has only been amended 27 times since it was drafted in 1787. An amendment must be proposed by Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution when ratified by legislatures or conventions in three-fourths of the states. The process is long and requires a lot of agreement.
