Commentary “Why should amendments make any difference, since they’re not following the Constitution now?” The question became common as a talking point promoted by a conspiratorial group. But I like it because it offers a teaching opportunity. The short answer is that uniform experience tells us that amendments work very well. They have proved more durable than much of the original Constitution. Over the past 12 years, I’ve published more on the U.S. constitutional amendment process, both in academic and popular literature, than any other living scholar. I say this to emphasize that there’s a lot of research behind this essay. Why Amend? The Founders identified four reasons for amendments. First, they enable the American people to remedy government dysfunction and abuse. Second, amendments can correct drafting deficiencies in the original Constitution. Third, through amendments we can respond to new developments. Finally, amendments can resolve differences in interpretation—by, for example, …