# Could the Republicans gather enough votes in state legislatures to radically rewrite the Constitution? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 1, 2022, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899 "2022-08-01T01:34:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/1 "2022-08-01T01:34:13Z")
This article seems to think that that might be their long game. > **[Republicans' next big play is to 'scare the hell out of Washington' by...](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-next-big-play-is-to-scare-the-hell-out-of-washington-by-rewriting-the-constitution-and-they-re-willing-to-play-the-long-game-to-win/ar-AA109fJu?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=de297f38ae9e4bfebf72728a8c133c53)** > > Conservative activists are making steady progress toward convening a never-before-accomplished convention that could reshape the Constitution. That’s kinda frightening. You could say goodbye to abortion rights and gay marriage forever, probably. Trans rights, too. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/2 "2022-08-01T02:01:00Z")
Any amendmwnt propoaed by a constitutional convention would still need three-fourths of the states to ratify it. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/3 "2022-08-01T02:56:44Z")
If the Republicans control the legislatures of 38 states they wouldn’t need to hold a constitution convention. Or be able to. The country would be at war by then. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/4 "2022-08-01T03:22:54Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > This article seems to think that that might be their long game. > > [MSN](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republicans-next-big-play-is-to-scare-the-hell-out-of-washington-by-rewriting-the-constitution-and-they-re-willing-to-play-the-long-game-to-win/ar-AA109fJu?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=de297f38ae9e4bfebf72728a8c133c53) > > That’s kinda frightening. You could say goodbye to abortion rights and gay marriage forever, probably. Trans rights, too. Anything and everything would be up for debate with a large enough majority of states or majority of the population. But a new constitutional convention would definitely be the legal way to do things and it is very possible to have a new convention. > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > If the Republicans control the legislatures of 38 states they wouldn’t need to hold a constitution convention. Or be able to. The country would be at war by then. That’s highly doubtful. I’m not sure where all this talk of war within the US is coming from but it’s unlikely people want to live in a highly lethal, wealth destroying anarchy. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/5 "2022-08-01T14:20:25Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Anything and everything would be up for debate with a large enough majority of states or majority of the population. While this statement is true, in a logical sense, IMHO the GOP recognizes that their ideas do not have the support of a majority of the population. So, instead their strategy is to control a majority of states. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/6 "2022-08-01T15:38:47Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > I’m not sure where all this talk of war within the US is coming from but it’s unlikely people want to live in a highly lethal, wealth destroying anarchy. “This talk of war within the US” has been circulating in far-right circles in increasing amounts in recent years and the fact that many Americans react to mass shootings by seeking more guns in private hands and the rise of an increasing number of armed militia already indicate that we are moving toward an highly lethal, wealth destroying anarchy. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of people willing to let everything burn in the (usually deluded) belief that they will be the ones ruling the top of the ashheap afterward. It’s a people thing. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErFERZtVEAEDyqQ?format=jpg&name=medium) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErFERZtVEAEDyqQ?format=jpg&name=medium) ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2022, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/7 "2022-08-01T15:51:41Z")
This is truly the nightmare scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-the-republicans-gather-enough-votes-in-state-legislatures-to-radically-rewrite-the-constitution/968899/8 "2022-08-02T11:30:44Z")
The goal here, as always, is to cement long-term conservative minority power. As unrepresentative as our major election structures already are, those looking for a constitutional re-write are aiming to make them worse. It’s the Texas secessionists’ scenario writ nationally. Lock in power before the opposition numbers swamp you in the current system.