This week, we're launching the Article 5 project, a new initiative exploring the history and future of Article 5 of the Constitution, which sets out the constitutional amendment process.

Hello, friends. I'm Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, and welcome to We the People, a weekly show of constitutional debate.

The National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit chartered by Congress who increase

awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.

In this episode, we explore the use of the Article 5 process from 1789 to the present,

project contributors and constitutional law scholars Gerard Magliocca, Sanford Levinson,

Michael Rappaport, and Stephen Sacks

explore the origins, debates, and ongoing challenges surrounding Article 5,

as presented in their new essays.

This conversation was originally streamed live as part of the NCC's America's Town Hall program series on December 3rd, 2025.

The Article 5 project was made possible by Democracy Restated.

Welcome, Professors Meglioka, Levinson, Rappaport, and Sacks. It's an honor to convene you.

And Gerard, we're going to begin with you.

You wrote the lead report for the Article 5 project.

You provided a detailed account of the history and tradition of constitutional conventions.

And you say that many unanswered questions about how a second national convention

would be organized have caused federal officials to be terrified at the prospect of a national

convention. In particular, the question of whether the proposed power of a national

convention can be limited.

Tell us about how you concluded that that was a central question

and whether or not you believe that a convention can be limited.

Well, thank you, Jeff, and thank you to everyone listening.

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