It is a bit strange that people who heartily approve the results of the original Constitutional Convention are afraid of having another one. Lawyers and judges may be the most formidable opponents, and lawyers tend to dominate the legislative bodies whose action is needed. Whatever the convention does has to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. Pat Buchanan, in Right from the Beginning, calls for a second constitutional convention. The call for a convention, Buchanan writes, will 'reveal which of the two parties is a populist, and which elitist, which trusts and which fears the people.
Constitutional amendment is an ambitious and usually lengthy process.
Meanwhile, there have been some other proposals worth considering if they could be accomplished over the powerful opposition of the corporate rulers. Most such suggestions seem to have little chance, however, until something is done about campaign finance reform and corporate political influence. National action to combat the loss of jobs overseas has also been proposed and is highly controversial because of the powerful arguments in favor of free trade. One measure to reduce exporting of jobs does not involve any restrictions on trade, and that would be to remove the subsidies and tax advantages that encourage companies to move their plants overseas. Other proposals aim at fairness and equity rather than protectionism in the traditional sense.