# States are starting to call for a Constitutional Convention

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 5, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243 "2016-02-05T16:48:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243/121 "2016-02-12T21:16:13Z")

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> [@Deeg](#):
>
> Democracy and republic are not exclusive. We are a [democratic republic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_republic).

[Or a democracy in a republic](http://www.ushistory.org/documents/creed.htm) (whatever the hell that is supposed to mean.)

(The American Creed is only a House Resolution, not an actual law.)

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243/122 "2016-02-14T05:42:28Z")

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> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Sure we could. We’d start with the easy stuff, like gun rights, and then breeze thru the rest!

Dang! The solution was staring us in the face all along!

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**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243/123 "2016-02-14T06:05:58Z")

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It seems to me that the more useful stuff to do is more clearly define the limits of congressional, executive, and judicial power, but I guess that’s boring wonky stuff so a convention won’t care about it. So we’ll continue on our current course, where all three branches have as much power as they care to assert.

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**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243/124 "2016-02-14T14:42:05Z")

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> [@adaher](#):
>
> all three branches have as much power as they care to assert.

Did you actually say that with a straight face?

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**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243/125 "2016-02-14T15:40:59Z")

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Yes, You haven’t noticed that they all try to push the envelope?

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**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-are-starting-to-call-for-a-constitutional-convention/745243/126 "2016-02-14T16:06:23Z")

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> [@adaher](#):
>
> Yes, You haven’t noticed that they all try to push the envelope?

Sure, they all push the envelope, but you said "all three branches have as much power as they care to assert. "

That’s far more than pushing the envelope, that’s breaking through it, and succeeding every time. Government doesn’t have unlimited power, even if it wants it.

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