Amending the Constitution: Why Change?

School of Rock

The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan (1964) Come gather ‘round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You’ll be drenched to the bone If your time to you is worth savin’ Then you better start swimmin’ Or you’ll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin’

Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide Verse 2 Come writers & critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’ For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’

Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Verse 3 Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled There’s a battle outside And it is ragin’ It’ll soon shake your windows And rattle your walls For the times they are a-changin’

Please get out of the new one If you can’t lend a hand For the times Verse 4 Your old road is Rapidly agin’ Please get out of the new one If you can’t lend a hand For the times They are a-changin’ Come mothers & fathers Throughout the land And don’t criticize What you can’t understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command

And the first one now The line it is drawn The curse it is cast Verse 5 And the first one now Will later be last For the times They are a-changin’ The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is Rapidly fadin’

Questions for Discussion What do you think the song is about, i.e. “what’s going on?” In each verse, Dylan is challenging a certain group to change. Analyze each verse of the song and identify who or what needs to change. What do you think is the overall message of the song? What forces might make it necessary to change the Constitution?

The Constitution and the Amendment Process

Methods of Proposal

Methods of Proposal Method 1 By 2/3 vote in both the House and the Senate [most common method of proposing an amendment]

Methods of Proposal Method 2 Method 1 By national constitutional convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of the state legislatures [This method has never been used] Method 1 By 2/3 vote in both the House and the Senate [most common method of proposing an amendment] Or

Methods of Ratification

Methods of Ratification By legislatures in ¾ of the states [in all but one case, this is how amendments have been ratified]

Methods of Ratification Ratified through conventions in ¾ of the states. [Only been used once to ratify the 21st Amendment] Method 1 By legislatures in ¾ of the states [in all but one case, this is how amendments have been ratified] Or

Amendment Process Methods of Proposal Methods of Ratification Method 1 By 2/3 vote in both the House and the Senate Method 1 By legislatures in ¾ of the states Or Or Method 2 Ratified through conventions in ¾ of the states. Method 2 By national constitutional convention called by Congress at the request of 2/3 of the state legislatures

The Equal Rights Amendment Proposed 1972 Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA): Questions for Discussion What rights are protected by the ERA? Why do you think the ERA has evoked such heated debate? Brainstorm pros and cons of each side. Do you think the ERA should be ratified?

Suggested Amendment Topics Flag burning Allow non-natural born citizens to become President Official language(s) of U.S. Definition of marriage Prayer in school Balanced budget Electoral College Terms limits on U.S. Senators & Representatives Access to medical care for all citizens Death penalty

Political Cartoon #1 Title: Flag Burning Amendment Gary Markstein, Wisconsin, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel , July 18, 2005 , http://www.politicalcartoons.com

Political Cartoon #2 Title: Flag Burning Steve Breen, The San Diego Union-Tribune, July 25, 2005 http://www.politicalcartoons.com

Political Cartoon #3 Title: Gay Marriage Amendment Mike Lane, Cagle Cartoons. Feb. 26, 2004 http://www.politicalcartoons.com