Les Jones

Political Survival Kit > U.S. Presidents Have Nothing to do with Constitutional Amendments

Ace has a good point:

[D]o these people realize the president has no role in the amendment process? He does not need to sign a proposed amendment, nor can he veto it; it's entirely up to Congress and then (after securing 2/3rds support) the state legislatures (3/4ths of them)?

Damned good point, especially after the way Bush 41 made noise about a flag-burning amendment and Bush 43 made noise about a gay marriage amendment.

Here's Article V of the Constitution, which provides for amendments:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this 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 to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

The president isn't even mentioned.