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Audience at Concord forum asks whether Citizens United and Article V hurdles can be overcome
Summary
Audience members asked Jill Lepore whether Article V’s high thresholds and efforts to reverse Citizens United can succeed; Lepore said amendment work is long and depends on rebuilding civic deliberation and persistent organizing.
During the audience question period, a participant asked whether constitutional scholars agreed that Article V’s double supermajority (two-thirds of both houses and three-quarters of states) sets the bar too high and whether a lower threshold would have produced a more progressive country. Lepore said many scholars do consider the bar high and pointed to historical state constitutional reforms as examples of harder-to-change federal provisions.
A separate question raised Citizens United and referenced American Promise and Concordian Jeff Clemens, noting 24 states have voted to encourage Congress on a Citizens United amendment and that 38 would be required for ratification. Lepore responded that amendment movements are long-term projects—she cited deliberative youth projects like '20 76' and said reviving civic association and democratic deliberation is the essential work behind any amendment drive.
