Two forum responses on American Government, history homework help

I need two forum responses in APA format, 150-250 words each. The topic is research in American Government. These are responses to other students on a specific topic. They require peer-reviewed references. Below are the two posts that need responses:

Post 1:

Good evening,

There have been thousands of proposed amendments to the constitution since 1791, when the ten amendments, now collectively known as the Bill of Rights was added to the constitution. The process each of these proposed amendments are required to go through is a long and difficult one. As a result of this tough process, less than twenty of those several thousand proposed amendments have, so far, been approved alongside the Bill of Rights (History.com). Dallas News recently reported Governor Greg Abbott and the House Select Committee have been encouraging “a package of bills that would put Texas among a small but growing group of states calling for a convention of states to amend the U.S. Constitution” (Grissom, 2017).

Among the changes currently being proposed, is the idea of restricting government powers, as stated in Grissom’s article, supporters “seek a convention that would impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and create term limits for federal officials and members of Congress” (Grissom, 2017). While these politicians, Texans and their many supporters may be quick to organize their convention, we are reminded of the long and challenging process of amending the constitution.

The process of amending the constitution is described in Article V of The U.S. Constitution. From it we learn, calling a convention is just the start of the process, many debates and ratifications are to follow. So far, they have only gotten ten states to agree, a long shot away from the required thirty-four. The Texas Tribune reports this week the committee will be debating Senate Bill 21 and Senate Joint Resolution 38. “SB 21 outlines the qualifications, duties and limits of Texas delegates if a convention were to happen, and SJR 38 cancels all but one of the Legislature’s prior calls for a convention of states — some more than 100 years old” (Polluck & Blanchard, 2017). Governor Abbott’s call to amend the constitution so that it limits the powers of the government over civilians is a huge move, but he has made it a priority and voting has already begun.

REFERENCES:

Article V of the U.S. Constitution. The National Archives. Retrieved on 04 May 2017 from: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitu…

The U.S. Constitution. A&E Networks 2009. Retrieved on 04 May 2017 from: http://www.history.com/topics/constitution

Grissom, Brandi. (13 April 2017). Debate over changing the U.S. Constitution starts in the Texas House. Dallas News (Texas Legislature). Retrieved on 04 May 2017 from: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/texas-legislature/…

Polluck, Cassandra & Blanchard, Bobby. (03 May 2017). Convention of States in House Begins. The Texas Tribune (The Brief). Retrieved on 04 May 2017 from: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitu…

Post 2:

The last amendment to be ratified was in 1992 and it delayed laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until after the next election of representatives. Through my research, I found a couple articles on the possibility of amendments to the constitution. To amend the constitution, Article V of the Constitution provides for amendments to the document when a proposed change has been approved by two-thirds of each chamber of Congress and is subsequently ratified by three-fourths of the states. It outlines two ways in order to modify it, through two-thirds vote of Congress or by calling a convention from two-thirds of the states. Currently the Republican party controls 33 state legislatures and this could change within the next year in elections and add more giving the majority required. According to cleveland.com/politics, Ohio lawmakers believe the federal government is out of control and is requesting a constitutional convention to look at revising our constitutional document. Eight states have already called for a convention making Ohio the ninth with each of these states requesting the convention. Cleveland’s Representative who is a democrat, is leading the push by sponsoring the legislation that could effectively initiate the revision of imposing fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting power and jurisdiction on the government, and limit terms of office for officials and members of congress. (Jackie Borchardt)

In the New Yorker.com/magazine, author Jelani Cobb writes on the topic as well while giving examples of Newt Gingrich’s attempt in 1995 to produce a balanced budget amendment and the failures it met upon reaching the Senate. In his article, he writes his opinion that this is a bad idea because history has shown that deficit spending is a guaranteed way to stimulate a sluggish economy and get it flowing again. His reporting states that Senators from Iowa and Utah have introduced a new balanced budget amendment as recently as January of this year. He expresses the question in which I tend to agree, would a constitutional convention stop or limit themselves in trying to amend other areas of the constitution once a convention has began?

By adding these initiatives as amendments to the current 27 amendments of the constitution, it would take another convention to change or remove them with the same requirements in having 38 states come together again in a majority for further ratification. The way our political climate is today, this may prove impossible for another 100 years. In adding these initiatives into law, they would be susceptible to future additions or complete removal at the stroke of a pen within a few short years.

References:

Borchardt, Jackie, (7 March 2017) Ohio lawmakers renew push for convention to amend the U.S. Constitution. New Yorker Magazine. Retrieved on May 4, 2017 http://www.cleveland.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/0…

Cobb, Jelani (13 March 2017) Republicans and the Constitution, The New Yorker, Retrieved on May 4, 2017. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/13/repub…

Article V of the U.S. Constitution. The National Archives. Retrieved on 04 May 2017 from: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitu…