MSW on constitutional convention calls

On September 9th, Michael Sean Winters wrote What does our politics not need? A constitutional convention in National Catholic Reporter.

Conventions are unlikely because those who would call for the convention rub elbows with those who can otherwise introduce amendments. Also, there are no clear rules to call a convention. Do petitions run out with each Congress? Must they all be on the same issue? No one knows because the rules are deliberately vague.

The closest things we have had were the post-Civil War Radical Republicans, the Progressive Movement and the Civil Rights coalition under LBJ. These days had their Hamiltons and Madisons.

Constitutional issues are mostly about government structures, like the Electoral College or creating regional government to overcome the ungovernability of a continental nation.

The problem of Catholic bishops having sour grapes on Obamacare and marriage equality need to be dealt with internally, as they are sure to be as more pastoral bishops appointed by Francis displace St. John Paul's reactionary cadre (whose constitution was Veritatis Splendour).

Until a just God is replaced with an absolutely humble one, the Church and world will continue in its adolescence.