Why America Needs a Constitutional Convention

America is having a rough summer. However, at the end of the day, I know that being an American citizen and living in a country this great is a blessing. That is why I think we need to adapt the US Constitution to fit our modern needs yet preserve what makes this country great. Politicians and regular citizens alike continue the discussion of issues such as abortion, gun control, gender and sexual orientation equality, police brutality and recreational marijuana usage. The list could go on and on (and on). The problem is, our constitution is aging. Almost 230 years and growing actually. And in those many years, there has never been a constitutional convention. Article V of the constitution states a convention must be called if two thirds of the states legislatures submit a petition to do so.

There are many important amendments that could be made possible that would never pass in regular American politics. In this day, U.S. Senators and Representatives are becoming career politicians. Term limits need to be set for these positions, because we want people in office that are interested in improving the present and future of their country, and not for their personal gain. Being elected to Congress is an honor, and should be treated as such. Many think that the Bill of Rights grants citizens their right to privacy. The Fourth Amendment approaches the subject slightly, however there is no clear part of the document that outlines any such thing. Privacy is your right as a human being, and should be detailed in the Constitution as such. Another major amendment that could be achieved with a convention would be a solution to our long term fiscal problems, whether it be requiring a balanced budget, or another option. How will the future generations pay for this generation’s spending, if it is going to keep growing?

Many skeptics say that the convention would never work, and maybe even do harm (like we can do any more harm to each other than we already do). They say that changes could be made to the Bill of Rights, or worse amendments could be introduced. However, amendments still would need to be ratified by 38 states. Yes, a convention has never been done. But when we crossed the Atlantic Ocean and then told England to screw off, no one really had done that either.