Gop's Constitutional Convention: What's Their Agenda?

Conservative groups and the GOP have been pushing for a convention of states as a way to amend the U.S. Constitution, spending large sums of money in state legislative primaries to elect Republican lawmakers sympathetic to their cause. The Heritage Foundation, the prime force driving Project 2025, has strongly endorsed the effort to call an Article V convention, which gives states the power to call a convention to propose amendments. While supporters argue that a convention is the best way to amend the Constitution and take power from Congress, critics warn that it could lead to extreme changes, such as limiting federal overreach and imposing fiscal restraints. With Republicans controlling legislatures in 30 states, they would have a significant advantage in a convention, raising concerns among Democrats about the potential for writing conservative goals into the Constitution.

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GOP control of state legislatures

The GOP has been working towards controlling state legislatures for a generation, and this has resulted in them having a stronghold in several states. This is a key part of their strategy to change the US Constitution, as amendments require a two-thirds majority in Congress to be approved, but if proposed in a convention of states, they only need to be approved by a two-thirds majority of state legislatures.

The GOP has been spending big to elect Republican lawmakers at the state level, and this has paid off. They control the legislatures in 30 states, and Republicans would control at least 27 and up to 31 out of 50 delegations to a convention, based on delegate selection processes in applications passed so far. This means they would have the upper hand in a convention, and could write amendments as they saw fit, without needing to compromise with Democrats or independents.

The GOP has been pushing for a convention of states as a way to amend the Constitution, and so far, 19 GOP states have joined this movement. This is a rapidly growing conservative movement to call a new convention to rewrite the Constitution, and it would only require 34 states to request a convention. This sustained investment in state legislatures has guaranteed the GOP would have the upper hand in a convention, and they have been working to convince their allies in state legislatures to make it happen.

The GOP's control of state legislatures has been helped by gerrymandering, and they have leveraged this exceptionally well to continue their stranglehold on state governments. For example, in Wisconsin, Democrats would need to acquire 60-65% of the total votes cast to control the state house chamber. This has resulted in a permanent GOP supermajority in the state.

The GOP's efforts to control state legislatures and push for a convention of states have alarmed many Democrats, who see it as a partisan effort to write conservative goals into the Constitution. Some conservatives have also expressed concern, fearing that a convention could lead to changes they wouldn't favor, such as on gun control or campaign spending.

Article V convention

Article V of the U.S. Constitution gives states the power to call a convention to propose amendments. It would require 34 states to call the convention and 38 to ratify any amendments. The convention would allow states to discuss amendments that limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints, and place term limits on federal officials.

The process of amending the Constitution was crafted during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. At the time, eight state constitutions included an amendment mechanism. The Articles of Confederation required the unanimous consent of all 13 states for the national government to take action, which proved unworkable. The 1787 Convention sought to address this problem by circumventing the national legislature, stating that "the assent of the National Legislature ought not to be required."

The GOP would have the upper hand in an Article V convention, as it controls the legislatures in 30 states, with Republicans having sole control over the membership of 29 of the fifty state delegations. Several groups affiliated with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have been campaigning for an Article V convention, arguing that it is the best way to amend the Constitution and take power from Congress. They see it as a crucial vehicle for enacting a radical agenda, including transferring federal wildlife habitats to extractive industries and limiting "federal overreach."

However, there are concerns about the potential dangers of an Article V convention. There are no rules preventing corporations from influencing the convention, and it could lead to lengthy legal battles, uncertainty, and economic instability. It could also open the door to a wholesale rewriting of fundamental laws, with delegates potentially revoking cherished rights such as the right to peaceful protest, freedom of religion, or the right to privacy.

Project 2025

The GOP has been spending big at the state level to elect Republican lawmakers who support their cause of amending the U.S. Constitution. They have secured dominance in state legislatures, controlling the legislatures in 30 states, and guaranteeing themselves the upper hand in a convention.

Article V of the Constitution requires Congress to call a convention to propose and pass amendments if two-thirds of the states, or 34, request one. This has never happened in U.S. history. Republicans control 31 legislatures out of the 34 they need to request a convention and the 38 needed to ratify.

A constitutional convention would give delegates the power to write amendments as they saw fit, without needing to compromise with Democrats or independents. Amendments that emerge from the convention would have to be approved by three-quarters of the states, or 38 of them, ensuring that any changes would have broad support. However, there are concerns that a convention could lead to changes that conservatives wouldn't favor, such as on gun control or campaign spending.

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Amendments without compromise

The GOP has been spending heavily at the state level, targeting state legislative primaries to elect lawmakers sympathetic to their cause. This has paid off, with Republicans controlling 30 state legislatures, and they are close to the 34 required to call a convention. They would also have the upper hand in a convention, with control of up to 31 out of 50 delegations.

The amendments proposed by Republicans would seek to limit the power of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints, and place term limits on federal officials. They would also seek to limit "federal overreach" and enact a conservative agenda, including potentially rolling back progressive achievements such as Roe v. Wade.

Some Republicans, however, fear that a convention could lead to changes they don't favour, such as on gun control or campaign spending. They also worry that the convention could be a runaway convention, with unelected and unaccountable delegates writing amendments that revoke cherished rights.

The prospect of a Republican-controlled constitutional convention has alarmed Democrats, who see it as a partisan effort to write conservative goals into the Constitution. They argue that any amendments should have broad support and go through the proper channels, requiring a two-thirds vote in Congress for any proposed amendments that don't come from a convention.

Conservative goals in the Constitution

Conservatives have been working to amend the US Constitution, with some pushing for an unprecedented convention to rewrite the document. This convention would be called under Article V of the Constitution, which requires two-thirds of states (34) to request a convention to propose and pass amendments. While this has never happened in US history, conservatives have made significant progress towards this goal.

The conservative movement aims to reshape the Constitution to align with their ideological beliefs. Former Republican senator Rick Santorum has stated that the transformation would culminate in a convention to rewrite the Constitution, creating a fundamentally conservative nation. This includes implementing measures such as Project 2025, which seeks to reduce domestic spending and limit "federal overreach".

One specific proposal is the "Fiscal Restraints Proposal 1", which would cap federal spending and require large cuts in domestic spending. Additionally, it would require a 2/3 majority in both chambers of Congress to increase taxes, giving more power to the president to control spending. This proposal aligns with the conservative value of fiscal responsibility.

Another goal of conservatives is to take power away from Congress, which currently has the authority to approve any proposed amendments with a two-thirds vote. By holding a convention, they can bypass this requirement and pass amendments with broader support from the states. This would give more power to the states in the amendment process.

However, there are concerns within the conservative movement about the potential consequences of a constitutional convention. Some worry that it could lead to changes they don't favor, such as on gun control or campaign spending. There is also a risk that a convention could result in the weakening of constitutional rights and protections, as delegates could write amendments that revoke cherished freedoms. Despite these concerns, conservative groups continue to invest heavily in state legislative primaries to elect Republican lawmakers who support their cause, demonstrating their commitment to achieving their conservative goals in the Constitution.

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