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An "informal amendment" is a change to the meaning or interpretation of the constitution of the United States. There is no real informal way to change the amendment, it's not an actual change to the Constitution; rather, it's the way we look at the Constitution that changes.

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15y ago
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15y ago

The Constitution's meaning is changed is often referred to as "informal amendment." This phrase is a misnomer, because there is no way to informally amend the Constitution, only the formal way. However, the meaning of the Constitution, or the interpretation, can change over time. There are two main ways that the interpretation of the Constitution changes, and hence its meaning. The first is simply that circumstances can change. One prime example is the extension of the vote. In the times of the Constitutional Convention, the vote was often granted only to monied land holders. Over time, this changed and the vote was extended to more and more groups. Finally, the vote was extended to all males, then all persons 21 and older, and then to all persons 18 and older. The informal status quo became law, a part of the Constitution, because that was the direction the culture was headed. Another example is the political process that has evolved in the United States: political parties, and their trappings (such as primaries and conventions) are not mentioned or contemplated in the Constitution, but they are fundamental to our political system. The second major way the meaning of the Constitution changes is through the judiciary. As the ultimate arbiter of how the Constitution is interpreted, the judiciary wields more actual power than the Constitution alludes to. For example, before the Privacy Cases, it was perfectly constitutional for a state to forbid married couples from using contraception; for a state to forbid blacks and whites to marry; to abolish abortion. Because of judicial changes in the interpretation of the Constitution, the nation's outlook on these issues changed. In neither of these cases was the Constitution changed. Rather, the way we looked at the Constitution changed, and these changes had a far-reaching effect. These changes in meaning are significant because they can happen by a simple judge's ruling and they are not a part of the Constitution and so they can be changed later. The Constitution's meaning is changed is often referred to as "informal amendment." This phrase is a misnomer, because there is no way to informally amend the Constitution, only the formal way. However, the meaning of the Constitution, or the interpretation, can change over time. There are two main ways that the interpretation of the Constitution changes, and hence its meaning. The first is simply that circumstances can change. One prime example is the extension of the vote. In the times of the Constitutional Convention, the vote was often granted only to monied land holders. Over time, this changed and the vote was extended to more and more groups. Finally, the vote was extended to all males, then all persons 21 and older, and then to all persons 18 and older. The informal status quo became law, a part of the Constitution, because that was the direction the culture was headed. Another example is the political process that has evolved in the United States: political parties, and their trappings (such as primaries and conventions) are not mentioned or contemplated in the Constitution, but they are fundamental to our political system. The second major way the meaning of the Constitution changes is through the judiciary. As the ultimate arbiter of how the Constitution is interpreted, the judiciary wields more actual power than the Constitution alludes to. For example, before the Privacy Cases, it was perfectly constitutional for a state to forbid married couples from using contraception; for a state to forbid blacks and whites to marry; to abolish abortion. Because of judicial changes in the interpretation of the Constitution, the nation's outlook on these issues changed. In neither of these cases was the Constitution changed. Rather, the way we looked at the Constitution changed, and these changes had a far-reaching effect. These changes in meaning are significant because they can happen by a simple judge's ruling and they are not a part of the Constitution and so they can be changed later.

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9y ago

Informal amendments involve alteration of the constitution's power without affecting the written document like Formal Amendments would. Congress can pass laws that spell out how parts of the Constitution are interpreted, the President can utilize foreign policy to make agreements with foreign governments without the constitutional necessity for the Senate to approve it like a formal treaty would, the court can apply the Constitution rather flexibly to cases, and so on. Informal amendments don't really have a process.

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11y ago

changes or additions that become part of the written language of the constitution itself.

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15y ago

The informal amendment process is the alteration of the constitution without the passage of new legislation. This is done through redefining laws and changing the interpretation of laws.

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14y ago

It is the process it takes in carrying out an amendment to be a law

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8y ago

There is no "informal amendment " process. To add or change an amendment requires a process as laid out in the constitution.

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Q: What is the informal amendment proces?
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The actions of the Executive branch in the enforcement of federal legislation?

Informal Amendment process A+Karla aboytes :)


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Is prohibition of alcohol formal or informal amendment?

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An informal amendment can be established by?

An informal amendment can be established by Congress via legislative actions and the President also has the power to amend through a clause in the Constitution.


Does Congress have a role in the amendment proces?

Yes, both Houses of Congress have to achieve a super majority (two-thirds) in a vote.


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Here is a good sentence using informal amendment.Well that was it!


Was the Bill of Rights created by a formal amendment process or an informal amendment process?

The Bill of Rights was created using a formal amendment process. An informal amendment process doesn't result in actual changes to the Constitution, only to the way the Constitution is interpreted.


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informal amendment process


Why is this process of informal amendment important to understanding constitutional change?

Becuase the amendment gave the people freedom


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Informal amendment


Change in the way that people understand and act on the constitution?

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What is the definition of Informal amendment?

Informal amendments are basically the result of day to day operations over time in our government. Many of the powers the constitution has set out to various areas, such as the President and Congress, leads to the creation of informal amendments as they use those powers.