Taking away and changing ammendments?

Question

Who has the authority to change the ammendments? Can Congress change the ammendments with the approval of the President, and other political figures? Who can do so?

It would seem that government can do anything it wants, if everyone agrees, then who is to stop them from changing it?

Congress and the President rule our country. They don't see to a higher authority. See what I'm saying?

Answer 1

Only one amendment to the Constitution has ever been repealed. That was the 18th Amendment. The process by which the Constitution is amended is clearly spelled out in Article 5 of that Constitution. Try reading it. Less than one in five of American adults has ever done so.

Answer 2

Article V of the Constitution explains the amendment process.  In order to create a new amendment, modify an existing amendment, or to repeal an existing amendment both houses of Congress must vote on the proposed amendment by a 2/3 majority.  Then 3/4 of states must vote to ratify the amendment.  

It is a process between Congress and the states that the president has NOTHING to do with.   Creating an amendment is a process that requires a lot of consensus and therefore is difficult to achieve.   There have only been 27 amendments since 1789!

As to your comment that the Congress and the president "rule" our country, I strongly disagree.  The people are sovereign in our nation, which is why we hold elections.  Also, Congress and the president have their power checked by the Supreme Court, which can declare their actions unconstitutional if they do not comply with the Constitution.  

You are the "higher authority" that the government must answer to....use your power to vote them out of office if you disapprove!

To answer your follow up question....If the President desired to change an amendment, for example we'll say he wants to remove the due process clause from the 5th Amendment, then the President would need to request that Congress would propose this change.  If 2/3 of both houses of Congress voted in favor of the change, then 3/4 of the states would have to approve it (either via their state legislatures or by ratifying conventions).  The President and the Supreme Court have no formal role in this process.

I see your point that a determined majority could perhaps use their power to errode some of our most important Constitutional liberties by changing the Constitution.  This is when citizens should vote them out of office!  An example of this occurring is the passage of the 18th Amendment that banned the sale and possession of alcohol and the 21st Amendment that repealled the 18th Amendment.  The people became disatisfied with the 18th Amendment, then elected new members of Congress and their state legislatures to repeal the amendment.  

I believe that our system has enough safegaurds to protect us from tyrrany of the majority.  One of the most important safeguards is an informed and active electorate to vote the bums out of office when they don't protect our fundamental rights!