(Freedom.news) One major presidential contender just threw his support behind an Article V convention of the states, a process whereby a three-fourths majority of states can amend the Constitution without any congressional input.

That candidate is GOP Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.

At a recent campaign event in Iowa, Rubio, who is running third in the state as of this writing, said on his first day as president he would “throw his support” behind a COS and, specifically, that he supports amendments that would place term limits on members of Congress and require a balanced federal budget.

See Rubio make his announcement here:

“I’ve never been more excited about our prospects for achieving real governmental reform as I am right now,” Mark Meckler, co-founder of the Convention of States Project and president of Citizens for Self-Governance, said, according to Fox News.

“It is gratifying when a national-level leader like Sen. Marco Rubio acknowledges that it is imperative for the citizens to act to take power away from Washington, D.C., and return it to the people.”

For those who aren’t familiar, Article V of the Constitution spells out the two ways in which the nation’s founding document can be amended. Most are aware of the first way: Amendments are proposed and passed by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress, then sent to the states to be ratified. The legislatures of three-fourths of the states must approve the amendment before it can take effect.

The second way is when two-thirds of states, or 34, petition Congress to call a state convention, whereby delegates from the participating states then meet to propose amendments set forth by their respective legislatures. Any amendments approved during this process would also then be sent to the rest of the states, where three-fourths would again have approve them.

Many Americans who are fed up with Washington are nevertheless leery of the Article V convention of the states process because it has never been utilized before, and they are fearful that it may result in a “runaway convention” that would end up in the repeal of important rights.

But supporters counter that there is virtually no chance that three-quarters of state legislatures would approve amendments to, say, curb gun rights or freedom of speech and religion. Also, they say amendments to term-limit lawmakers and Supreme Court justices, balance the budget and reform the federal bureaucracy, which many support, will never be taken up by Congress.

In the past year the Convention of States movement has picked up other key endorsements and has moved closer to the 34-state threshold needed to begin the process.

Rubio’s endorsement could push the movement into the mainstream, COS supporters hope.

Last year a bestselling book by constitutional scholar, former Reagan Justice Department official and top syndicated talk show host Mark Levin called The Liberty Amendments brought the concept to light and laid out 11 potential amendments he believes would restore liberty and roll the size, scope and power of the federal government back to within founding constitutional parameters.

See also:

Fox News

Washington Times

Convention of the States

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