The founders built two ways to amend the Constitution. Congress can propose amendments — that’s how all 27 got here so far. Or two-thirds of state legislatures can apply for a convention, bypassing Congress entirely. Madison explained in Federalist No. 43 that the amendment process was designed so both the federal government and the states could “originate the amendment of errors.” He was describing our current situation with more precision than he probably intended.Congress has run a deficit in 21 of the last 25 years. The national debt crossed $39 trillion in June 2026, at a rate of roughly $8 billion per day. Annual interest payments now exceed $1 trillion — more than Medicaid, and $35,000 every second. Every serious proposal to address this through a balanced budget requirement, term limits, or spending caps has died in the institution that would have to propose it. You don’t need a political science degree to identify the conflict of interest.Article V provides states a second path. When two-thirds of state legislatures (34 states) apply for a convention, Congress must call it. Whatever the convention proposes still requires ratification by 38 states — 13 states can block anything radical. The republic has survived 27 amendments under this process. The safeguard works.
Congress won't fix itself. The Constitution says it doesn't have to
The Convention of States Project targets fiscal restraints, limits on federal power, and term limits. Twenty states have passed the resolution.
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