Transcript Part 1 - American Bar Association

Reforming American Government
for the 21st Century
The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both
Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose
Amendments to the Constitution, or, on the
Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of
the several States, shall call a Convention for
proposing Amendments, which, in either Case,
shall be valid … when ratified by the
Legislatures of three-fourths of the several
States, …
Article V, U.S. Constitution
No person except a natural born Citizen,
or a Citizen of the United States … shall
be eligible to the Office of President;
neither shall any person be eligible to that
Office who shall not have attained to the
Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen
Years a Resident within the United States.
Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 5, U.S. Constitution
Issue 1: Should the U.S.
Constitution be amended to
permit any American citizen
to hold the office of
president of the United
States?
Referendum:
a direct popular vote in
which the public is asked to
either accept or reject a
particular policy proposal.
Issue 2: Should the U.S.
Constitution be amended to
expand federal lawmaking
to include the use of a
national referendum?