OM DENNE EPISODE
Is the Constitution built to handle the next 250 years, or is it time for a real mechanism for change? Tom Teicher, a constitutional thought leader, spent years developing a proposal for a 28th Amendment that would finally give structure to Article Five's long-dormant constitutional convention option.
Cut to the Chase: Gregg sits down with Tom to break down how his plan would work: 153 impartial delegates chosen by state legislatures under an 80% supermajority requirement, closed-door sessions modeled on 1787, a two-thirds override for Congress, and ratification by direct popular vote rather than the states. They dig into why only 17 amendments have passed in over two centuries, what issues a modern convention might tackle, and why Tom insists the process must stay above party politics.
Join Gregg and Tom Teicher on Cut to the Chase: as they explore
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Why the Constitution has only been amended 17 times in over 200 years
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How Tom's proposed 28th Amendment would structure a modern constitutional convention
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Why delegates would be chosen by an 80% supermajority in state legislatures
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How Congress and the public would each get a role in approving changes
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Why the proposal is designed to stay impartial, with no sitting officials as delegates
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What it would take to keep the process out of near-term politics
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Introduction: Framing the state of the Constitution at nearly 250 years old
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Tom's background and how he came to work on constitutional reform
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Why Article Five's convention option has never been used
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The proposal: turning the convention into a structured, recurring process
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How the 153 delegates would be chosen, and the 80% supermajority rule
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Devil's advocate: could the delegate-selection process be changed or gamed?
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The history of the proposal, from 2022 to today, and its reception so far
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How a convention would run: closed doors, open agenda, majority votes
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Congress's role: reviewing and potentially sending proposals back
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Ratification by national popular vote instead of the states
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How a convention might handle modern issues like AI, executive power, and more
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Keeping the amendment out of near-term politics with a 2029 effective date
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Historical parallels: Jefferson's 19-year proposal vs. Madison's view
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Closing thoughts: what one change could preserve the American experiment
Tom Teicher is a constitutional thought leader and citizen advocate for reforming Article Five of the U.S. Constitution. With a law degree and a background largely in the nonprofit sector, he has spent years developing a detailed proposal for a 28th Amendment that would establish a structured, recurring constitutional convention process.
His proposal has been shaped through public feedback since 2022, including a widely shared explainer video released in 2024 and a written essay published in 2025, and has been reviewed by a constitutional law professor.
Contact / Follow Tom Teicher:
Website: TomTeicher.com
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