Question

Which of the following could be considered a disadvantage of the U.S. constitutional amendment process? (Identify a statement that is both TRUE and a DISADVANTAGE of the process.)

Answer 1

The U.S constitutional amendment process requires a supermajority to pass, which can hinder the ratification of significant amendments like the ERA due to the difficulty of obtaining broad bipartisan support.

Step-by-step explanation:

A potential disadvantage of the U.S. constitutional amendment process is its stringent supermajority requirement, which can be considered both a strength and a weakness. For an amendment to be adopted, it must receive a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress, as well as a three-quarters majority of the state legislatures for ratification. This high threshold ensures that only amendments with broad bipartisan support are passed, but it also means that amendments like the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which may have significant support, face significant challenges in becoming ratified. The difficulty in amassing such widespread approval can prevent needed changes from being realized within a timely manner.