I’d like to propose a few constitutional amendments, to hopefully help to unscrew the jug-fuck the Imperial government has become. I’ve done this before, but much like Barack Obama on same-sex marriage, my views have ‘evolved’ some.
Bear in mind that I have absolutely no illusion that these will ever come to fruition; this is purely a pie-in-the-sky wish-list of things I would implement were I Dictator For A Day.
So, without further ado, here they are.
Amendment 28 – Term and Service Limits
Text
The President is limited to one six-year term. Senators are limited to one six-year term. Representatives are limited to three two-year terms. Following the allowed terms, all such persons are forever prohibited from holding elected, appointed or hired office at the Federal level, nor shall any such persons receive any benefits or pensions once leaving office, except in the event of a service-connected permanent injury or disability.
Purpose:
No more ‘political class,’ obviously. No more lifetime pols suckling at the Imperial teat for life. A true citizen legislature; you spend some time in office, then go back and live in the mess you made.
Amendment 29 – Qualification of Voters
Text
The franchise is limited to those citizens of the United States who have attained the age of eighteen on the day of the election, who possess a government-issued photo ID and present the ID at the polling station, and who have filed a tax return on the year previous to the election showing a net payment of taxes at the Federal level. All votes shall be cast in person at a designated polling station. Ballot harvesting and mail-in voting, excepting requested absentee ballots, are prohibited.
Purpose:
No skin in the game? You don’t vote. Add a healthy dose of election integrity to that; the 29th Amendment wouldn’t make cheating impossible, but it would make it a lot harder.
Amendment 30 – Constitutional Tribunal
Text
A fourth branch of government is established, the Constitutional Tribunal, consisting of three Tribunes from each State: One elected by the eligible voters of the State, one appointed by the State legislature, and one selected at random from the rolls of eligible voters. The purpose of the Tribunes are to determine the Constitutionality of all new laws and regulations, as defined in Amendment 31.
Purpose:
In our current system, career pols freely pass laws that cannot and should not pass Constitutional muster. Unfortunately someone with “standing” has to challenge those laws to get them tossed out, and the people who passed those laws face no consequences. So let’s have a new branch of government who does nothing else but determine Constitutionality of new laws and regulations, and let’s have the selection of the members be split among various groups with differing priorities. Which leads us to…
Amendment 31 – Constitutional Challenge of Laws/Regulations
Text
All new laws and regulations from any source are considered to be potentially unconstitutional and shall not take effect until approved by a 2/3 vote of the Constitutional Tribunal. In the event of a law or regulation being determined to be prohibited by the Constitution, any elected officials who sponsored or co-sponsored the legislation, or any appointed or hired officials who authored the regulation, shall be immediately removed from office and henceforth prohibited from any elected, appointed or hired office at the Federal level.
Purpose:
As noted above: Consequences. Pass a law or write a regulation that you haven’t absolutely determined is in concord with the Constitution? No soup for you! You are out on your ass, and proscribed from ever holding such a position of authority again. I did not include, but am willing to consider, including any President who knowingly signs an unconstitutional bill into law.
So. Thoughts?
