Gale Norton on Government Reform Secretary of Interior (Pres. Bush Cabinet)

Constitutional Convention for Balanced Budget & Term Limits

The Framers provided this method [in Article V of the Constitution] for amendments without Congressional consent precisely because Congress could not be trusted always to propose necessary amendments. Congress would not be inclined to propose amendments limiting Congressional power, in particular. On several occasions, Congress has been prodded to propose particular constitutional amendments by the threat that enough States would otherwise submit applications and force Congress to call a convention.