Republicans want to rewrite the constitution to limit federal power but a former senator says a 'runaway' convention could spell danger for health care, education, and the environment

Republicans have been campaigning for years to change the constitution through a convention of 34 state legislature.

State legislatures would be able to approve or reject constitutional amendments without a governor's signature, Congress' intervention, or any input from the president, if a constitutional convention were to take place.

There has never been a convention to limit the federal government's spending and taxation powers in the U.S.

In their new book, Russ Feingold and Peter Prindiville write that a "runaway" convention could cause massive changes to laws regarding health care, education, and the environment.

The rules of a constitutional convention were never detailed by the framers, so the convention would operate as a free-standing, distinct constitutional body.

"Despite convention proponents' claims of legal certainty, the most important questions about how a convening would be called and how it would function are unclear," Feingold and Prindiville wrote in their book.

The framers didn't leave any rules. There is a possibility of great power in this uncertainty.

The Republican plan to assemble a constitutional convention to gut environmental regulations and education standards was previously reported by Insider's Grace Panetta.

Rob Natelson dismissed the potential of a "runaway" Constitution to Insider.

The Convention of the States, which has ties to prominent Republicans like former Trump lawyer John Eastman, wants to limit the power of the federal government.

David Super told Insider that limiting the power of the federal government could lead to extreme and broad changes.

Super said that he wouldn't describe the amendment as one of the three things in the convention of states. Do you want to repeal the 14th amendment equal protection clause? The power of the federal government is limited. You can describe it as almost anything you want.

Five states are making progress on the resolution, according to an Insider analysis. Three states have Republican-led state Legislatures.

The backers of a convention include the governor of Florida.

The country will be able to form one within the next five years, according to Natelson.