Category: ratification

Defending the Constitution: Why the Framers Thought Ratification by Only Nine States Was Sufficient

Commentary In an earlier essay in my “Defending the Constitution” series, I responded to the common charge that the 1787 Constitutional Convention abused its trust. The charge is that the commissioners (delegates) exceeded the scope of the convention “call” issued by Congress. In response, I pointed out that Congress did not call the Constitutional Convention;…


Finland, Sweden Sign to Join NATO but Need Ratification

BRUSSELS—NATO’s 30 allies signed an accession protocol for Finland and Sweden on Tuesday, allowing them to join the nuclear-armed alliance once parliaments ratify the decision, the most significant expansion of the alliance since the 1990s. The signing at NATO headquarters follows a deal with Turkey at last week’s NATO summit in Madrid, where Ankara lifted…