Calling for a Constitutional Convention

Six or more years ago, in the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, the conviction spread in the White House that 34 states would soon have voted to call on Congress to convoke a convention to amend the Constitution to mandate a balanced federal budget. President Carter’s instinct was to be cooperative with such a constitutional procedure, and he set up a task force to study how the executive branch could help Congress plan for the convention. Chairmanship of the task force was entrusted to Walter Mondale.

Soon the emissaries of big welfare and big unionism and other beneficiaries of federal largesse who believe they have a large stake in deficit spending had prevailed on the Mondale staff to take a view different from the President’s. When the task force met again, its question was not, “How can we cooperate with a convention?” but “How can we beat it?” The answer that came by inspiration was, “We can say a convention can repeal the Constitution.”

About the Author

John Noonan

John Noonan is an adviser to POLARIS National Security. He is a former congressional staffer and veteran of the United States Air Force.

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Six or more years ago, in the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, the conviction spread in the White House that 34 states would soon have voted to call on Congress to convoke a convention to amend the Constitution to mandate a balanced federal budget. President Carter’s instinct was to be cooperative with such a constitutional procedure, and he set up a task force to study how the executive branch could help Congress plan for the convention. Chairmanship of the task force was entrusted to Walter Mondale.

Soon the emissaries of big welfare and big unionism and other beneficiaries of federal largesse who believe they have a large stake in deficit spending had prevailed on the Mondale staff to take a view different from the President’s. When the task force met again, its question was not, “How can we cooperate with a convention?” but “How can we beat it?” The answer that came by inspiration was, “We can say a convention can repeal the Constitution.”