What should be in a new US constitution?

And Sunfighters post 11.

 

Executive order called for. How would you decide which citizens are reasonable? Oh well, back to your regularly scheduled program...

 

Reasonable? Why,up to me of course.

 

Any territory that being born there gives automatic American citizenship.

 

Look, I think even unreasonable citizens should be allowed to whack him on the ass

 

Upper houses are important in a federal system, I'd keep the Senate, but make it more like the German Bundesrat, have a staggered number of senators, maybe between 1-3 depending on size.

I would make health care enshrined as a right, as well as primary education.

 

Here are some musings –

Campaign funding reform –

No pacs or super pacs allowed – only limited but free advertising slots allowed (in papers and on TV) for any party receiving 5% of vote (to begin with X number of signatures), and only for one month before a election no electioneering allowed at any other times.

Campaign donation wouldn’t go directly to the candidates but to the party and then distributed equally.

Corporation, companies and businesses are not allowed to make contributions.

Lobby system reform (including think tanks)

If they are political they do not receive tax exemptions. The political persuasion of such think tank members should be acknowledged when talked too (no claims of being ‘independent’ or ‘non-partisan’) they have to declare their affiliations.

Media –

Have an independent media paid for by a licence fee levied on existing media.

Bring back the Fairness Doctrine and have an independent board be able to fine transgressors

Federal Government reform –

Present system scrapped in favour of parliamentary system.

President elected but is mainly just head of state.

Elections to the Supreme Court – One nomination from the President, one from Congress and one from the Judiciary. Then the public vote for one of the three.

Proportional Representation system used in elections.

A new constitution every 75 years

ho and what scratcho said about Rush

 

Protection from the privatization of public resources

 

Oh god no to elected supreme court justices. A lot of states already elect judges an it's asinine, a judge isn't supposed to be held hostage to the will of the public, especially when federal judges often have to make ruling based on actual law that the public, not versed in law, disagrees with.


I'd also increase the size of the House, substantially, maybe around 650. More representation is not inherently better, but smaller constituencies provide a closer contact with your representative, and more importantly are more conducive to electing more varied candidates and third parties. This doesn't even need a constitutional amendment, congressional size is determined by laws passed by congress. It would also give most states at least slightly larger delegations, making proportional representation more likely. States can do proportional representation for their federal representatives if they want, states make their own election laws.

 

Sapphire

Yeah I know what you mean and understand your concerns but I just dislike the President appointing someone for life into something so politically and socially important (I think of the partisan loaded decision on the Florida count for example).

Maybe the SC should have its power curtailed somehow or maybe it should be replaced with something else?

 

In that vein, define gerrymandering, and abolish it.

 

I don't see how the supreme court could have its power curtailed or changed, a supreme court is a vital and present function of all republics, both actual democratic ones and sham autocratic ones. If anything there should just be a time limit on service, or an age limit perhaps.(Heck even the Catholic church doesn't allow bishops over 75 to vote in Papal elections). I think a 15 year term limit is good, perhaps 12-13. Given how justices are confirmed I'd prefer if 2 full election cycles went through the senate if we're living in a world where justices have a set time limit. As it stands 6 out of the 9 have already been there for at least 17 years. Scalia and Thomas will live to 139 and stay on the bench until they take their final breath just to troll us all.

 

i believe it is well to initiate a national constitutional convention now . Occupy could do this . they work consensus , and consensus is the peoples' democracy . consensus cannot be manipulated ... and this a natural , spiritual law .

 

Free education

 

No, not really. Constitutional conventions work by getting 2/3 of states(34) to submit the request for a convention. Any proposed amendment then after be affirmed by the convention would have to be approved by 3/4 of the states. That way has only happened once though, with repealing prohibition since people hated it that much. The usual way is for 2/3 of each chamber of congress to pass an amendment and send it to the states.

Occupy doesn't have enough influence to get 2/3 or 3/4 of states to do something, either does the Tea Party. However, together in an unholy alliance they do, since if there's only one thing they agree on, both groups don't like being told corporations are people in terms of free speech and election rights.

 

I think our Constitution is fine.

The problem is that our supposed leaders ignore it. I'm not sure half of them have ever read it.

There are a few things we could add (no private money for political campaigns, for example) but as a whole I just think we need to figure out a way to ensure that the Constitution is actually treated as the law of the land like it was originally designed, instead of a meaningless piece of history.

 

And protection from the publicization of private resources without fair compensation.

 

We actually have that already

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation

 

We might start by trying to adhere to the one we've got for once.

 

But, they are having so much fun shredding it at the moment...