What Would It Take To Summon A Convention Of States?
SMU Political Science Professor Cal Jillson talks about the push for a constitutional convention.
By Andrew Schneider and Andrew Schneider
KUHF News
Gov. Greg Abbott spent more than a year speaking and writing about the need to pass a series of amendments to the U.S. Constitution, in order limit the power of the federal government. His chosen vehicle: invoking Article V of the Constitution to call a “convention of states.”
So when Abbott took the stage to deliver his State of the State message in January, there was every reason to expect he would spotlight the issue. But Abbott went one step further, designating it as one of his top four priorities for the legislative session. . . .
Today, Republicans dominate the national government and almost two-thirds of the state governments.
Professor Cal Jillson says he thinks that’s exactly why supporters of such a convention are acting now. Jillson, who teaches political science at Southern Methodist University, says some Republicans see this as the perfect time to lock in key conservative preferences, “because they may not, will not always control as much of government in the United States as they do today.”
The Texas Senate has already approved these measures on a party line vote. They’re strongly favored to pass the House as well. If they do, Texas would become the tenth state to call for such a convention.
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